Suite Life on Campus, Season 3
by SprouseGoose
Summary: The third season of the life after high school for the graduates of Seven Seas High.
1. The Answer

_Episode 1_

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Cody's Hospital Room__

Bailey just sat on the side of Cody's bed alternating looking at the gorgeous ring inside the box and at a smiling Cody. As much as she tried, she couldn't form any words. She was was left completely speechless as Cody laying there proposing to her was the last thing she ever could have expected. Sure, she knew that this day would eventually come and she knew without a doubt that Cody would propose to her one day, but the fact that he was doing it lying in his hospital bed the day after having surgery? She shook her head to try to collect her thoughts, but they were going in all different directions inside her mind. But looking into the face of the man she loved and couldn't live out, she couldn't help but smile. At that moment, her heart was so filled for love for him that she thought it might burst. Still, throughout all of this, she still hadn't said anything, and Cody finally spoke again as he was now getting a little worried.

"Bails? Are you okay? Did you hear what I said? I just asked you to..."

She cleared her throat so that she could talk again and interrupted him. "Cody...how did you?...I never saw this..." Bailey exhaled. "I don't know what to say..."

Cody smiled at and teased her. "Does this mean my guaranteed yes isn't so guaranteed after all?"

Bailey just looked at him for a moment trying to figure out what he was talking about when it suddenly dawned on her. She brought her hands up to her face gasped. "Oh my gosh! Of course my answer is yes! You always knew it would be!"

He let out a small chuckle. "Well, I thought it would be, but you had me worried there for a minute..." He reached up to pull her into a hug and just rubbed her back. When he finally pulled back, he was still smiling at her. "When you didn't say anything, I began to think this had royally backfired on me..."

She smiled back at him. "Not a chance of that. You just completely caught me by surprise with this. I mean...you are in a hospital bed recovering from surgery after all..." She laughed. "Of course knowing how you love surprises for me, I should have seen it coming. But, in my opinion, of all your surprises for me, I love this one the most..."

"Well, I decided last night that I was going to do this as soon as possible. I admit that I kind of lied to you last night. I faked being asleep until I heard you snoring..."

Bailey interrupted him again. "I don't snore..."

Cody just smiled. "Whatever you say, Dear. Anyways, last night, I laid here and watched you sleep for a little while. And as I did, I stopped to do some serious thinking. Like I said, I've had how I was going to propose to you all planned out in my mind for several months now. I figured there were only two places that would be appropriate for me to do it. One would have been in the lobby of the S.S. Tipton where we first kissed and got together. Unfortunately, with the ship no longer in existence, that was out. So, the other place was the storm shelter where we got back together. And I had it already planned out to do pop the question to you while we were back in Kettlecorn for your birthday. But after what happened to us in Virginia and then yesterday, I didn't want to wait a second longer than I had to. I didn't want something else to happen that could prevent me from doing this." He paused and sighed. "Now, I know this isn't the most romantic setting in the world..."

Bailey put her fingers up to his lips to shush him. "Don't go there. I don't care about any of that..." She smiled at him. "I think we learned in Virginia that even situations that shouldn't be romantic can actually turn out to be very much so. And to be honest, in its own way, you proposing to me here like this is extremely romantic. I mean, after what you just went through, no one would blame you if you had just laid here and rested. But you didn't. Like usual, all of your thoughts were still about me and about us. And while what you did have planned does sound completely wonderful, I wouldn't trade this moment for anything in the world. It means so much to me that you didn't want to waste any more time because I don't either..."

"We've done enough of that for a lifetime."

"Yeah, we have. But, that's in the past, and this is the present. And now, we have one definite for our future as we now know there is a wedding to begin thinking about..."

Cody nodded. "And about that. I will do whatever it takes to give you the wedding of your dreams...whenever or wherever you want that to be..." He smiled at her. "Whether it be outdoors surrounded by nature or not..."

Bailey smiled back at him. "We'll worry about all of that later. Right now, I just want to bask in the fact that I officially have a fiance now." She paused as something else dawned on her. "Wait a minute! You said instead of finding the perfect ring that the perfect ring found you. What did you mean about that? And how the feathers did you get it here into the hospital?"

He grinned at her. "First, I'll answer your last question as its the easiest. Bringing me the ring was the favor I asked of Tapeworm. Now, for your other one. You remember that bequest I got from my distant relative in Martinsgrab?" He nodded at the ring. "There it is. According to the what my Dad was told, its been in the Martin family for generations upon generations. Supposedly, they belonged to the twin sisters of Knut and Olaf..."

"They?"

Cody laughed. "Oh yeah. Seems twins run heavily in the Martin family. Knut and Olaf's father's name was Sven, and he was a very powerful man in Martinsgrab. Well, until the whole herring fiasco. Anyways, while he was proud of his two sons, he simply adored his two daughters. So, in one of the...ummm...expeditions they went on..."

Bailey smiled. "You mean one of the pillaging and plundering sprees?"

He sighed. "Yeah...one of those. Anyways, he found a pair of almost identical rings somewhere. The difference is one of them was encrusted with rubies, and the other, the one here in the box, was encrusted with emeralds. I kind of figured with you being a farm girl from Kansas and the dream you had about the Wizard of Oz, this would be perfect. You know...the emerald city and all."

She kept smiling. "I love the symbolism, Sweetie. What happened to the other ring?"

He smiled back. "Take a wild guess..."

"Zack got it, didn't he?"

"Yeah. Anyways, beyond the symbolism, Bails, you are already family to me no matter what the hospital tried to tell you. And by you agreeing to become a Martin woman, the family tradition will carry on. It was found for one Martin woman and will now be worn by another..." He paused. "Assuming you aren't having second thoughts about joining the family. I mean, you've seen first hand that we can be a kind of an unorthodox and kooky clan..."

Bailey smiled at him again. "I can't wait to officially join it..."

"Me either. So, that's what I meant when I said the perfect ring found me..."

"Well, I love it. I think this ring is gorgeous and all round perfect..."

"Just like you."

She leaned down and kissed him. "And since I fully plan on being a member of that kooky clan, I think you better put that ring on my finger right now. Don't you?"

Cody grinned. "With pleasure, Sweetie!"

"Hold on a sec..." Bailey slid the promise ring off of the ring finger on her left hand and placed it on the corresponding finger on her right hand. "This way, it doesn't matter which hand anyone sees, they'll know I belong to you."

Cody took the ring out of its box and slowly slid it onto Bailey's finger. And after he did, she held her hand out and just looked at and admired it while Cody just watched her feeling totally content.

"Welcome to the family..." Cody paused and smiled. "You know, that's the exact same thing your Dad said to me when I called him this morning to get his blessing." He laughed. "I was so glad he said just to call him to get his blessing when I was ready to propose..."

Bailey laughed too. "So am I. Cody, do you have any idea how proud I am to wear this?"

He smiled. "Not any more than I am that you're wearing it."

She leaned down and kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Bailey then whispered in his ear. "Be a good boy, do what the doctor tells you to do and heal up. And when you are feeling better, I show you again just how much..." She grinned and teased him. "That's the only drawback of you proposing to me now..."

Cody looked up at her and grinned. "Trust me, that thought crossed my mind too. But if I needed any motivation before hand to heal up, I've sure got it now."

She laughed. "Good..." Bailey then took a deep breath. "You remember how I said I was ready for us to end this rollercoaster ride we were on? And you said maybe we could find a tunnel of love?"

"Yeah?"

She winked at him. "I think we just officially entered it..."

About that time, the door opened, and a beautiful, young nurse walked in with bowl of water and a sponge.

"Sorry to interrupt, but its time for Mr. Martin's sponge bath."

Bailey just looked at her and shook her head. "Uh uh. If anyone is going to give my fiance a sponge bath, its going to be me!"

__Tuesday Afternoon __

Like the doctor had said, if there was no complications, Cody was going to be released on Tuesday morning. So while the doctor was giving him a thorough final examination, Bailey headed out to get their car to bring it over to the hospital. When she got back, the doctor was just giving Cody his final instructions on what to do and what not do do. Bailey just winked at Cody and told the doctor not to worry about them. And with that, the doctor signed off on the paperwork to discharge Cody. Unfortunately, he and Bailey got their first glimpse at how hospital paperwork could slow things down to a crawl, and it was well after noon when he was finally given the green light to go home. And Cody got a first glimpse at just how strict hospital procedures were when he found himself being rolled out of the hospital in a wheel chair. When the orderly rolled him out the front door, Bailey was there waiting with the car packed and ready to go. His doctor stopped him one last time to see if he knew what to do with his charts and records when he got back to Boston.

Cody just nodded. "Trust me. I have experience doing this all before."

The doctor just shrugged before wishing him good luck and heading back inside. Just as Cody standing up to get into the car, Tapeworm came running up to them completely out of breath. He hunched over and gasped as he tried to get oxygen back in his lungs. "I...made...it..."

Cody just smiled. "I'm glad to see you again, Man. And thanks again for all of your help yesterday."

Tapeworm smiled back. "I take it everything turned out alright?"

Bailey held out her hand. "It sure did! We are now officially engaged!"

"Congratulations to you both." He turned to Cody. "And thanks for putting the pressure on the rest of us..."

Cody laughed. "Hay...I've been in love with Bailey for almost five years now. You've been dating Gertie for about seven months. I think she'll understand if she doesn't get her own ring tomorrow. Where is she anyways? I was hoping we'd get to say goodbye to her too before we left."

"She said she'd be here as soon as she got out of her last final. I finished mine a little early, so hopefully, she'll be here real soon."

And as if on cue, she came running up to them out of breath too. "I'm...here..."

Bailey smiled. "Well, I'm glad you two could both make it here before we headed out. We're really going to miss you both this summer."

Gertie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. More importantly, how did everything go last night? You said yes, didn't you?"

Tapeworm laughed and Cody and Bailey both gave him a look. "Like I wasn't going to tell her..."

Bailey laughed too and showed off her ring to Gertie. "It went very well, and I definitely said yes."

Gertie shrieked and hugged her. "Congratulations!" She turned to Cody and was about to hug him when she paused. "I'll give you yours later when it won't cause you any pain."

He laughed. "I appreciate that."

Bailey turned to her. "So, you guys are all done now too, huh?"

"Yeah. We still have to pack, but my flight doesn't leave until tomorrow afternoon."

Tapeworm grinned. "Which gives us one last night together...until we visit each other over the summer. Not that we won't miss you two, but it'll be nice to have some privacy."

"Hey, we completely understand. You better take care of my girl here for me though."

"I will." He patted Cody's shoulder. "And you better take care of my boy here. But don't let him give you any trouble. If he gets difficult, just slip him some of his pain meds and let them knock him out."

Cody sighed. "Don't give her any ideas..."

Bailey laughed. "Don't worry. I think unlike the last time I had to take care of him, he'll be a much better patient. Of course, this time, I'll know he actually should stay in bed and do nothing but rest..."

Gertie smiled. "Well, we'll let you two get moving. Call us later to keep us updated."

"I will." Bailey hugged them both goodbye as the both patted Cody on the shoulder.

After getting Cody comfortable in the passenger seat, Bailey climbed into the driver's seat, and they were off. Once they were away from campus, and on the interstate, Cody looked over at Bailey.

"I hope you know we aren't looking at a very restful time once we get back to Boston..."

She frowned. "Why not?"

"Well, we'll have to tell our news to Mom and Zack. And then there is calling my Dad and then your family. Plus, we have several friends who might get offended if we don't call and tell them."

"That's true, but didn't you say you already called my Dad to get his blessing?"

Cody smiled. "I did, but we never called him back to tell him how it went..."

"True...Well, we'll make all of those phone calls, but we'll keep them brief. I want you in bed and resting as much as possible."

Cody laughed. "Yeah, good luck with keeping them brief..."

"Cody, you just got out of the hospital. I think they'll understand."

"I hope so." He paused and grinned. "You know, all things considered, that was a pretty good hospital stay. I lost an appendix but gained a fiancee. Seems like a fair trade to me."

__Boston__

About three o'clock that afternoon, Bailey pulled the car into a parking space in the Tipton Hotel's underground parking garage. And one of the first things she had to do was gently nudge Cody awake. It seems his body was still tired, and he had fallen asleep before they had crossed over into the state of Rhode Island. When he woke up, he was disoriented and groggy, but quickly realized where they were.

Yawning, he turned to Bailey. "I guess we need to get a luggage cart, huh?"

She shook her head. "Nope. I've already called ahead to Esteban. We're going to drop off the car keys to him, and he's going to have two bellboys unload the car when they get the chance. Besides, I don't want you lifting anything heavy and risking popping a staple."

He nodded. "Good point. I should probably tell that to my boss at the Tipton Clinic on Monday."

Bailey smiled at him. "Already called them too. They told me to put off our starting dates for another week so that you can heal up. But, I did make an appointment with them for you for next Wednesday to have you're staples removed. They said they would be happy to do it."

Cody just paused before smiling at her. "Anything else I missed that I should know about?"

"I think that's it for now. Now, lets get you up to bed. From your nap, I can see you need your rest. We'll worry about everything else after that."

He grabbed her hand. "Thanks for taking such good care of me."

She smiled at him. "Any time."

Fifteen minutes later, they were up in the suite, and Cody made it to the couch before stopping and sinking down into it. That was fine with Bailey, and she plopped down next to him. Both knew they would have some alone time for a while as Zack was in the midst of finals, so both were happy to just be able to sit there and know they had nothing they had to do. Well, that was the plan anyways. About four o'clock, Cody had nodded off again and Bailey was halfway there herself when there was a knock at the door. Bailey got up to answer it figuring it was the bell boys with their stuff. But instead, it was Carey.

"You're back!"

Bailey shushed her nodding over at the sleeping Cody. "Yeah, we got in a little while ago. I wanted Cody to take it easy, so we came straight up here."

Carey nodded. "Looks like he needs his rest. How is he doing?"

"Fine. He's his usual, normal self except that it hurts him when someone hugs him too hard or when he laughs. I've already made calls to the clinic, and while they gave us next week off, I did make an appointment then to have his staples removed."

"Good." Carey paused. "Look. I wanted to apologize to you for that scene in the hospital. I was like a mother bear protecting her cub. Old habits die hard I guess. I know you are the woman in his life now, but I guess I forgot that in the heat of the moment."

Bailey smiled. "Don't worry about it. You were right - it was the heat of the moment. We both love him and want the best for him. Its only natural that we both got defensive about trying to take care of him."

"Thank you for that, Bailey. Now, I can't promise I won't try to mother him some while he's recovering though..."

"Understood. I..."

But before Bailey could finish, Carey interrupted her. "Bailey! What is that on your finger?"

She paused and smiled. "That's another surprise we have for everyone. You see...last night, Cody kind of sort of...proposed to me..."

Carey's eyes went wide, and immediately, she pulled Bailey into a tight hug. "Congratulations!"

Bailey grinned again. "Thank you..."

"I know Cody was going to do this someday, I just didn't know he was planning on doing it now of all times. I didn't even know he had a ring..."

"Well, it was the inheritance he got from Sweden. Zack got a similar one too."

Carey paused. "Hmmm...After the other day, I wonder if I'm closer to seeing that one used as well." She shook her head. Carey smiled, and spoke a little too loud. "Anyways, this calls for a celebration! I know you were pretty much already a member of the family, Bailey, but this makes it official."

Bailey shushed her again. "Ordinarily, I would agree, but we need to let Cody get his rest."

She toned it down some. "You're right. We'll have to wait until he's up for it. But this is so exciting! We have a wedding to plan..."

Bailey smiled. "That's the furthest thing from my mind right now. Maybe once Cody is feeling better, then we'll start thinking about it, but for right now, his recovery is my main concern. Besides, at the earliest, we wouldn't do it before we graduated college. That's over two years way right now..."

Carey just looked at her and laughed. "Which means you need to start planning it now!"

"Well, I still need to break the news of our engagement to my family, and I know Cody will want to tell the rest of his too. So, we still have a lot to do before we even think about anything else."

"Tell you what. While Cody is asleep, you contact yours, and I'll take care of notifying the rest of Cody's. That's something we can do while he is resting."

"I guess that would be okay." Bailey paused and laughed. "Cody did say once the cat was out of the bag, there would be no rest."

Carey smiled. "Oh, this will be nothing. Just wait until it gets closer to the big day. There will definitely be no rest for the weary then. Why do you think people take honeymoons? They need a break from all of the wedding stuff..."

__Later that Evening__

By six o'clock, Cody was still fast asleep on the couch while Carey and Bailey sat around the kitchen table making phone calls. Everyone on both sides of their families and all of their friends were extremely happy for them as well as the fact that Cody was going to be alright. Of course, sometimes they had to talk a little louder to be heard over Cody's snoring.

Carey shook her head. "How do you put up with that?"

Bailey laughed. "You get so used to it that after a while. And after Sunday, it has become a very comforting sound to me."

"You must really love my son then..."

"That I do. And everyone back home is thrilled for us. Of course, none of them were too surprised though."

"Same with my side of the family. Kurt said he would spread the word to the rest of his side. And he said he would stop by Boston soon to check on Cody himself with his own eyes."

Bailey nodded. "Good. I know Cody will like that."

About that time, the door to the suite opened up again, and Zack and Maya walked inside with their backpacks over their shoulders looking worn out. Carey looked up at them.

"How did your finals today go?"

Zack sighed. "My Financial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry test was not a whole lot of fun. I think I knew what I was talking about, but still..."

"And you, Maya?"

She sighed too. "My Human Anatomy final really did cover everything." She paused and laughed. "Though, I need to thank Cody. Thanks to him, when I studied, I made sure I knew what the appendix looked like. And it was actually on my exam. I heard several people afterwards complaining they had no idea what it was..."

"When is your next one?"

"Tomorrow afternoon for both of us. Its our Philosophy & Film final. We spent the afternoon studying in my dorm room, but we decided to move our base of operations back here." Zack paused. "But with you guys back..."

Bailey shook her head. "Don't worry about us. I'll wake Cody up and we'll get out of your hair."

Carey nodded. "You two can come across the hall and take it easy over there. I'm sure you're both hungry, so I can fix everyone dinner. Zack, you and Maya can come over for some when you get a break."

Zack shook his head. "No thanks, Mom. I don't think that is a real good idea. I don't want us to risk having an upset stomach during our final. And Cody...he just got out of the hospital. Hasn't he been through enough already?"

Carey just frowned at him. "Zack..."

He smiled. "I kid...I kid." He decided to change the subject. "So, how long has the Codester been sawing logs?"

Bailey answered. "Most of the ride back to Boston and then almost immediately once we got back. But that's good. I want him to rest as much as possible." She smiled. "So, how are things going with you two on Day 3 of being back together?"

Maya smiled. "I'm still on cloud nine."

Zack smiled too. "Its been good. I just wish we didn't have finals right now so we could spend more time together that didn't involve us studying. We won't be able to have our real first date again until they are over."

Maya turned to him. "I know, but it will make it so much better when we finally get to. I mean...I've waited this long. A few more days won't kill me especially when I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

"Yeah, good point."

Bailey smiled. "I remember those first few days right after Cody and I got back together. It felt so wonderful to feel complete once again. And Cody and I sat down and had a long talk about our relationship so that we didn't let stupid things get in our way ever again."

Zack turned to Maya. "Probably a good idea if we had one of those too."

She nodded. "I think you're right. I don't want anything to get in our way again either."

Carey smiled and spoke up. "And turns out there is even more good news."

Zack turned to his Mom. "Yeah? What's that?"

"There is now an official countdown to you having a sister-in-law! Cody proposed to Bailey last night!"

Maya's eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh! Let me see you're ring!"

Happily, Bailey showed off her ring as Maya gushed about it. "Its gorgeous! Congratulations!"

"Thank you."

Zack nodded, but not quite as enthusiastically as Maya was. "Yeah, Congratulations. Welcome to the family." While Zack was indeed happy for them, he couldn't help being a little miffed at his brother's timing. He had been happy that Cody's surgery and recovery would take the focus off of him and Maya getting back together, this was completely different. Did Cody really have to propose to Bailey right after he got back together with Maya? Was he trying to one up him? Zack felt himself getting upset as he felt himself slipping back into his brother's shadow again, but he shrugged it off and forced a smile on his face. "How did he do it?"

Bailey just smiled as she told them about Cody enlisting Tapeworm's help, calling her father, and then proposing to her from his hospital bed. "Not the most traditional way of doing it, but I thought it was absolutely perfect."

Maya grinned again. "Have you two planned anything yet?"

Bailey laughed. "Not a thing. Once Cody is recovered, maybe then. But until then, I'm not worried about it." She paused. "But you two do have a final tomorrow, so let us get out of your way."

Bailey got up and headed over to the couch. Sitting on the edge of the couch, she woke up Cody the best way she knew how – with a kiss. Slowly, his eyelids began to flutter, and he woke up with a smile on his face.

"Hey...I was just having the most amazing dream about you. Wish you had let me finish it..."

She just smiled at him. "Sorry, Sweetie, but it was time for you to get up for a little while so we can get some food in your system..."

He nodded as he yawned. "Probably a good idea. Did I miss anything while I was asleep this time?"

"I'll catch you up everything while we eat..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Just got back from Catlanta! If anyone has free tickets to the Final Four in the Big Easy, I'll take them! Time for the Cats to once again take on those evil, vile dirty birds from down the road. I hear cardinal tastes like chicken though. Anyways, true to my word, here is the Final Four bonus chapter. And congrats to the UK women's team. They defeated Gonzaga tonight to make it to the Elite Eight against UCONN. If a miracle happens on Tuesday night, there will be another bonus chapter. Alright. I'm exhausted after that game and the drive back to LexVegas, and I need sleep now.**__  
><em>_


	2. A Slip of the Tongue

_Episode 2_

__"A Slip of the Tongue"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__The Offices of London Inns__

For the next several days, everyone's life returned back to normal...or as normal as they usually were. Zack and Maya continued studying for and began taking their finals while Carey and Bailey tended to Cody and made sure he rested. And while their life moved on for them, it was also moving on outside of the Tipton hotel as well. On that Friday afternoon, Moseby was sitting at his desk reviewing some sales figures from the week before while jotting down notes to himself every so often. While he was doing that, the door to his office burst open and London strolled into it with a big smile on her face.

"I'm back! Little ol' me has returned from...Thailand!"

Moseby looked up at her and smiled. "Welcome back, London. How was your trip with your mother to visit your grandmother?"

London sat down in a chair opposite of Moseby. "It wasn't as bad as it could have been. I don't think I'll ever get used to that farming thing, but I actually had fun. More than I did the first time I visited Khun Yai..." She laughed. "And it was kind of funny to see that my mother knew even less about farming than I did. Khun Yai said compared to her, I was a natural..."

Moseby laughed. "That's good...I think. So, how are things going between you and your mother? Are things starting to get better now?"

She shrugged. "Baby steps, Moseby. We still have a long way to go before we have a typical mother and daughter relationship, but for the first time in a long, long time, I actually have hope that it might be possible."

Moseby smiled at her. "I'm so glad to hear you say that. I hope everything works out the way you want them to..."

"So do I. Besides, it was a good week to be away from Boston. Todd's last final is this afternoon, and I didn't want to be a distraction to him."

"He's graduating in a few weeks, right?"

London grinned. "Yes, he is..." She began clapping. "Yay him!"

Moseby laughed again. "Well, tell him I said congratulations on graduating dental school. And tell him I wish him luck as he joins the rest of us in the real world." He paused. "Though, the rest of us don't have billionaires for fathers..." He shrugged. "Oh well, I still do wish him the best..."

"Ill make sure to tell him. So, did I miss anything around here while I was gone?"

"Well, around the office here specifically, no. But outside of these walls, its been a very eventful and busy week."

"Yeah? How so? What all happened?"

He smiled. "Well, for starters, Zack and Maya are officially back together again."

London shrugged. "I guess that was inevitable. I mean, it did seem like they were spending a lot of time together lately. But if its what makes Zack happy, more power to him. Anything else happen?"

"Oh yeah...Cody proposed to Bailey."

She shrugged again. "Again, not that big of a surprise. I already knew they would get married someday, so it was just a matter of time before he popped the question. But I'm definitely happy for the both of them too..." She paused. "Though, that would explain the second message Bailey left me on my phone. The first one, she seemed to be kind of freaking out and I had no clue what she was talking about, but the second one, she told me to call her back as she had some really big news for me. Anyways, how did he do it? Did he take her somewhere fancy and get down on his knee?"

Moseby smiled. "Not quite. He proposed to her from his hospital bed..."

London just gave him a look of disgust. "He did what? That doesn't sound very romantic. I expected much better from..." She stopped when it finally dawned on her what Moseby had said. "Wait a minute! Did you just say he proposed to her from his hospital bed?"

"I did..."

She grew very concerned. "What was Cody doing in a hospital bed? Is he alright? Start from the beginning and tell me everything, Moseby!"

"On Sunday, after their last final, they were heading back to their dorm when suffered a sharp pain in his abdomen before eventually passing out. Bailey freaked out and called 911 for an ambulance. Turns out he had a case of acute appendicitis, and they had to operate to remove it before it burst. Bailey actually saved his life."

London sat back in her chair stunned. "That would definitely explain why she was freaking out in her first message then. But you didn't answer - is he going to be alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Cody will be fine. He's even already back in Boston recuperating at the Tipton. He's just supposed to be taking it easy for about a week to let himself heal."

"I should stop by and see him then now that I'm back in town." She paused as she thought of something else. "And I definitely need to sit Bailey down too while I'm there."

"What for?"

London just looked at Moseby. "You even have to ask? We both know how Bailey is. If I let her handle this wedding by herself, do you have any idea how hideous it will turn out? For the sake of good taste, I have to step in and make sure that doesn't happen!"

__Zack and Cody's Suite__

Back in the suite, Cody was laying back on the couch watching TV when he grabbed the remote and turned it off. That stupid commercial about someone driving over 900 miles just for a Dorito flavored Taco was about to drive him crazy. Seriously, who would drive that far just for a taco? And when he though about the drive back after everyone had eaten them, Cody could only shudder. That would almost be worse than what he was dealing with. For the few days he had been back home in Boston, all he had done was split time either laying down on the couch or in bed. Well, that's not entire accurate. He had wanted to do a lot more, but between Bailey and his Mom, that was pretty much all they would allow him to do. They almost insisted on doing everything for him, but he put his foot down and said he could use the bathroom by himself.

He paused and smiled. Well, he did have to admit the Bailey helping him shower every morning once they were alone after Zack went to work had been very nice. That was definitely a perk, and he quite enjoyed it. But, he vowed not to complain about the rest as he was definitely doing his best to be as good of a patient as he could. Cody still felt bad for his whiny behavior during the marriage project years before and vowed to himself to be the exact opposite of that this time. So for those few days, he just went along with every limitation they placed on him. But by that Friday, his abdomen was feeling much butter and not as tender or sore as it had been. And being so sedentary was getting to him so bad that he even contemplated getting up off the couch and doing something productive like cleaning. But when he did, Bailey caught him and just gave him a look that caused him to return back to his place on the couch. She had even made it a priority to show him that she had locked up all the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen to prevent him from trying to cook too. Since he remembered his vow not to cause any trouble, he just sat back and played along.

Unfortunately for him, there wasn't much he could do just laying on the couch. He tried playing some of Zack's video games, but after a while, he was quickly bored by them (either that or he was tired of sucking at them). Cody actually was getting into the golf and bowling games, but Bailey put a stop to those when she said the swinging motion could cause him to pop a staple. So, that was out too. He tried watching TV, but daytime TV was horrible in his opinion. Cody had no desire to watch soap operas or talk shows where they ran DNA tests to see who was the real father of some unscrupulous woman's child. Even the History Channel couldn't hold his attention as he couldn't fathom how shows that dealt with a pawn shop or alligator hunting had to do with history. That left reading a book as his only option left. However, he had already read all of the books he had in the suite, and Bailey wasn't too keen on letting him go wander off to a bookstore just yet. He contemplated just going out while she and his Mom went to the grocery store that afternoon, but just thinking of the tongue lashing he'd get if they beat him home made him reconsider.

So, without any other options, Cody grabbed his laptop off of the coffee table and decided to browse the internet. Unfortunately, his discovered he was still a little sore and tender when he sat he laptop down on his stomach. When its weight made contact with his incision, he winced in pain. Putting a pillow between them solved that problem though. Naturally, he vowed to himself not to mention that little bump in the road to Bailey or his mom.

Accessing the Yale website, he logged in, but he just shrugged seeing that grades for the spring semester had not been posted yet. So, he made his way to both the Biology and EP&E websites to check for the umpteenth time that he and Bailey were on their way to completing the requirements for both majors. Satisfied they were, he checked his watch figuring that endeavor had to have taken at least a half hour. He just sighed when he realized it had taken him only seven.

At that moment, the door opened, and Zack walked in with his backpack slung over his shoulder. Cody saw that as an answer to his boredom as there was now someone else in the suite he could actually talk to. So, he tried to strike up a conversation instantly

"How did your Hospitality Law final go this morning?"

Zack didn't even look at his brother as headed to the refrigerator. "Fine."

"So, you've only got your exam in Food & Beverage Management left tomorrow afternoon, right?"

Zack's stuck his head into the refrigerator. "Yup."

"Glad to hear that. I haven't seen you around much the past couple of days with you being so busy studying. I'm really proud of how hard you're working Zack. But maybe you want to take a break and play some video games?"

"Nope."

Cody paused. "You aren't very talkative today. Is everything okay? Are you upset about something?"

Zack rolled his eyes. "What gave you the first clue?"

"Well, at least I got more than a one word answer that time..." He shook his head. "What are you mad about? Did something happen with Maya?"

Zack turned and glared at his brother. "As if you didn't know!"

Cody frowned as his mind began racing. "Actually, I don't. That's why I asked..."

Zack stormed over and looked down at his brother. "You just couldn't let me have my moment without you having to one up me, could you? You just had to overshadow me again, didn't you?"

Cody looked at him in confusion. "What the blazes are you talking about, Zack? What do you mean that I one upped you?"

"I get back together with Maya, and conveniently, you just had to go get engaged the very next day! You couldn't let me have the spotlight for once, could you? No! You could have picked any other day to propose to Bailey, but you didn't!"

"I had no idea..." Cody paused taken aback by his brother's outburst. "Zack, me proposing to Bailey had nothing to do with you getting back together with Maya. Heck, everyone knew I was going to one day anyways. Its not like it was a big surprise..."

"Yeah, we did. But why did you have to pick then of all times? You're timing is extremely suspect!"

"No, my timing was urgent! I didn't want to waste any more time before I did it! Zack, I could have died the other day, but fortunately, I didn't. And it dawned on me that I already had the ring, so what was I waiting for?" Cody was now getting so worked up now that he didn't realize what he was about to say. "After what happened to me this past Sunday and after what happened to Bailey and I in Virginia over spring break, I wasn't about to risk something else happening to prevent me from doing so! So, yes, as soon as I could get Tapeworm to bring me the ring on Monday, I proposed! You and Maya getting back together was the last thing on my mind then!"

Zack just looked at his brother in surprise at both what he said and at the passion in his voice. "Settle down...I don't want to get blamed for you having a relapse. Besides...I didn't know about all of that. Sorry..."

Cody sighed. "Its fine. I guess I got kind of tunnel visioned there. I was just so caught up in not wasting another minute that it never dawned on me that I could be usurping your moment. I'm sorry too if I did. It definitely wasn't my intention..."

"I guess I can understand your reasoning now..." He paused and laughed. "Though, I did recognize that ring Bailey was wearing. I see you found a good use for our inheritance..."

Cody smiled. "Well, when you're ready to give yours to someone, let me know in advance, and I won't plan anything around it..."

Zack laughed again. "Alright, deal..." He then paused as something Cody had said finally registered with him. "Wait a minute...what happened to you two in Virginia over spring break?"

Cody's eyes just went wide.

__The Lobby__

About that same time, Bailey and Carey had returned to the Tipton and were making their way through the lobby carrying numerous grocery bags from their trip to the market. After waiting for the elevator to get there, they rode upstairs until they got to the 23rd floor. By this time, they were getting tired of lugging all of the bags, and both were happy to finally place them down on the counter in Carey's suite. Since Bailey had restricted Cody from cooking duties until he was healed up, she thought it would be cruel of her to tempt him by having ingredients in their suite. And as they were unloading the bags, the door to the suite flung open, and both saw London standing there with a serious expression on her face.

"There you are!"

Bailey paused. "Me?"

"Yes, you!" London crossed the distance between them and hugged Bailey. "I just heard the good news from Moseby after getting back from visiting Khun Yai. Congratulations!"

Bailey smiled. "Thank you, London. How is your grandmother doing?"

London pulled back and smiled. "She's doing very well, thank. And despite my better judgment me, I just can't help but growing more and more fond of her elephant. I wish Ivana would learn some things from it. And Khun Yai did ask what you were up to nowadays, and I told her you were at Yale on the way to becoming a doctor. I also told her you were practically engaged. Guess I'll have to call her and tell her to drop the word practically."

Bailey laughed. "I appreciate you doing all of that."

"Alright, enough of this mushy stuff. We have a wedding to plan!"

"Huh?"

London rolled her eyes. "Oh please. We both know if I left all of the planning for this up to you and Cody, your wedding will be dull and boring..."

Bailey was taken aback. "London...Cody and I haven't even thought about anything yet. We've been more worried getting him healed...You do know he just had surgery less than a week ago, right?"

"Yeah, Moseby told me all about that too. I'm glad he's doing better, and I plan on checking on him once we finish here..." She paused and leaned in. "You're going to be a doctor. Can he live without an appendix?"

Bailey just laughed. "Of course he can. While the appendix may have served a purpose a long time ago, over time, the human body has evolved so that it now serves no real purpose. So, having it removed is no big deal...kind of like having your tonsils taken out via a tonsillectomy."

London's eyes went wide. "The tonsils are part of the body? Moseby just told me when I was younger that it was no big deal and I would get a lot of ice cream afterwards. He never told me they were taking out a part of me!"

Bailey just shook her head as London began seething. "You probably needed to have them removed before they got infected."

London paused and glared at Bailey. "Maybe, but Moseby and I will be having a long talk about this later!" She composed herself. "Anyways, like I said, we have work to do."

"London..."

"No buts. I put on Moseby's wedding, didn't I? And if I may say so myself, I thought I did a pretty darn good job considering I had Tut to work with as a bride..."

"You did, London. It was a very beautiful wedding."

"Exactly!" She smiled. "You and Cody are my friends and deserve the best. I refuse to let you two get hitched in any other fashion. And speaking of fashion, I called Arturo on my way over here, and he is insisting on designing your dress." She sighed. "For some reason, he thinks he owes you for inspiring him with your whole country bumpkin motif..."

Bailey smiled. "Really? He said that?"

"Really. Now, I need you two to hop to it and start figuring out some things. Most importantly, get me a date to work with! We've got a lot of work to do!"

"London, you've got to be reasonable here..."

But Bailey just saw the look on London's face and knew she was fighting a losing battle. "Okay, okay...I'll talk to Cody. But, you have to give him time to get better first. That's the only thing I'm concentrating on right now..."

__Across the Hall __

Zack just stood there for a few minutes watching as his brother picked up his laptop and tried to act busy. He just grinned to him as he knew the obvious signs of Cody trying to avoid something. Zack was 100% sure there was something Cody wasn't telling him, and he was going to find out what it was.

"So, Broseph...what happened in Virginia over spring break?"

Cody wouldn't look at him though. Instead, he focused on the laptop screen in front of him. "Nothing happened...Forget I mentioned anything..."

Zack's grin just grew even wider. "Oh, I don't know if I can believe that. I mean, something had to have happened if it was so important that it made you not want to wait a second longer to propose. In fact, I'm willing to guess that this was a major something..."

Cody sighed. "Its not that big of a deal. We had a...situation over spring break."

"What kind of situation?"

Cody realized Zack wouldn't give up any time soon, so he decided to only tell him half of the story to get him off of his back. "When we were in the mountains of Virginia on our way from Antietam to Appomattox Court House, we had a little emergency. We got caught in a freak snow storm while we were driving along this windy country road. The car got stuck when we tried to turn around, and we had to break into some farm's crop cabin to spend the night in so we wouldn't freeze to death. That's all..."

Zack just looked at his brother in surprise when something occurred to him. "Wait a minute! What day of spring break was that?"

"Wednesday."

Zack paused and began to laugh. "Well, I'll be...that old gypsy woman was right after all! There was a family tragedy that I would know all the answers to my situation with Maya afterwards. I just thought they would be connected somehow. Wait till I tell Maya about this..."

Cody looked up at his brother. "I'd rather you didn't. Its all in the past now and no need to make a big deal about it. If you tell her, it might get back to Mom. And if gets back to Mom, she'll call Bailey's parents. We both made it out of it just fine. There's no need to worry everyone after the fact. Besides, you remember how freaked out Mom got when she heard about some of our adventures on the boat afterwards..."

"That's true..." He paused again. "But aren't you the one who kept going on and on about how honesty and the truth were important to relationships?"

Cody sat there silent realizing Zack had him on that one.

Zack continued though. "What's the big deal anyways? Why would anyone care now that your both okay?" He laughed. "Its not like you to had to get naked and huddle up together to keep warm..."

Cody's eyes went wide as he looked back down at his laptop screen not saying a word as he hoped Zack would make his joke and move along.

Unfortunately, Zack noticed his brother's reaction, and his smile returned again. "I was right! That's exactly what you two did, wasn't it?" He laughed. "I should have known. Newsflash Baby Bro - I watch that show too, so I know exactly where you go that idea. I'm proud of you Codester, I dont..." Zack stopped mid sentence because he suddenly had a light bulb moment. "Wait a minute!" He grinned. "You two were all alone in a cabin worried about freezing to death. Something tells me you two did something else to keep warm too..."

Cody shook his head. "Zack, get your mind out of the gutter..."

"That wasn't a denial! Codester, you stud you! Now I'm really proud of you!"

Cody sighed. "I'm not going to confirm or deny anything, Zack, because even if something did happen, its none of your business. But, what will it take to get you never to mention this conversation ever again?"

He paused and grinned again. "That's an easy one. I'll forget all about this as soon as you forget all about my night of stupidity in New Haven. Oh, and I'll want all pictures you two have deleted or destroyed. You make sure Mom never hears about that night, and I'll make sure she never hears about you and your snow bunny!"

Cody sighed again in defeat. "Consider it done. Now, don't you have a final to go study for? I liked it better when I was sitting here bored..."

Zack laughed. "Oh, I'm about to go study, but there is no way doing that will be anywhere as educational as this has been..."

Hanging his head, Cody rubbed his eyes. "I knew I should have kept my big mouth shut..."

"Don't worry, Bro. My lips are sealed. But I do have one more condition."

"And what would that would be?"

"Your bachelor party. You're engaged now, and that's the only good thing that will come out of this. I want free reign to plan it however I want."

Cody simply shook his head. "No. Zack, when I proposed to Bailey, I fully intended for it to end up with us actually getting married. Knowing what you can come up with in your devious mind, I'm not about to risk that not happening."

"Oh, come on. You know me better than that..."

Cody just glared at him.

"Okay, I mean I've gotten a lot better these past few years..."

"I'll think about it, but that's all you're going to get right now. Besides, you've got your own girlfriend now. I'm sure she'd object to certain things."

Zack laughed. "Fine. So, do we have a deal then? I'll keep my mouth shut if you will..."

Cody shook his hand. "Deal..."

__Later That Night__

Bailey was helping Cody change the dressing on his abdomen. Once she cleaned and disinfected his wound and applied a new bandage, she smiled at him.

"There all done. I would kiss it to make it feel better, but I don't really want to taste Neosporin..."

He smiled back. "I appreciate the sentiment anyways, Sweetie." He began to sit up, but it still took him a little while due to wanting to avoid popping his staples.

"What is it, Cody? Tell me what you need, and I'll do it for you."

He paused. "Sorry, Bails. This is one thing I'm going to do for myself."

"Can I at least help?"

He smiled at her. "Nope. Its the one thing I've refused to let anyone else help with this whole time. Besides, I've been going to the bathroom by myself for a long, long time now. I mean...you've even seen the video."

Bailey began laughing. "Okay...Understood."

Several minutes later, Cody returned back into the bedroom and climbed back into bed next to her. "You know, Bails. I am feeling better and better everyday. I'm not as sore or worn out as I was a few days ago."

"I'm glad to hear that, but I still don't want you overdoing things. I've already called my Mom and told her I won't be home for Mother's Day next weekend..."

Cody just looked at her. "I can't let you do that..."

Bailey just smiled at him though. "I want to. Besides, Momma said she completely understood. She just told me to take good care of you."

"Now I feel bad..."

"Don't. I'll still get to go home next month, and if your Dad isn't here, I'm taking you with me." She smiled. "Everyone can't wait to see us...and the ring in person."

He laughed. "I'll be there then. What kind of fiance would I be to send my fiancee back to show off her ring without me?"

"You'd be my fiance. Now, I do have some good news and bad news for you..."

Cody paused realizing this was the opening he was looking for to break his bad news to her. "So do I...You go first."

"The good news is everyone is really excited we're getting married. The bad news is London is among them, and I'm afraid she might try to take it over..."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, we probably should have seen that coming..."

"What's your news, Sweetie?"

"Well, the good news is I had some time to spare this afternoon, so I double checked the Yale website. While grades aren't up yet, we are both on track to finish both of our majors on schedule."

Bailey smiled. "We already knew that because we've checked it at least two dozen times already to make sure. But, Cody, I know you probably did it because you were bored. I just want you to know how proud of you I am. I know this hasn't been easy on you, but you've been really good about it all. I'm sure I'm driving you crazy by constantly telling you what you can't do. But I'm only doing that because I love you and want you to heal up properly..."

He smiled at her. "I know. And I've tried to in some small way make up for my abhorrent behavior from a few years ago..."

"Well, I really do appreciate it..." She paused. "You said you had some bad news too. What's the bad news?"

Cody paused. "Well, Boo Boo...the thing is...Zack might have kind of sort of gotten the impression of what happened in Virginia over spring break..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: I know UK's women team got spanked tonight by UCONN, but I decided to go ahead a post Chapter 2 to honor the great season they had this year. Anyways, I'll post Chapter 3 on Saturday morning. If UK wins the national title on Monday, the bonus chapter will be on Tuesday. Something tells me I might not be in any condition to do so on Monday night lol**__  
><em>_


	3. Be a Good Boy

_Episode 3_

__"Be a Good Boy"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Cody's Bedroom__

Needless to say, Bailey wasn't exactly too thrilled to hear Cody's bad news. But instead of immediately getting upset about it, she took a deep breath, calmed herself down and let him recount the conversation he and Zack had had earlier. And while she still wasn't that happy when he finished his story, she did understand how it could have happened and didn't blame Cody for it. Bailey understood from their own experiences that you sometimes say something in the heat of the moment that you wish you hadn't. And she understood the levels of the relationship Cody had with his brother and both of their sometime feelings of being overshadowed and resentment towards the other. So, she just tried to downplay it as best she could, and she even had to tell him to calm down a little when kept adamantly repeating over and over again that he had never admitted anything.

"Cody, its over and done with now. There is nothing we can do about it..."

He paused. "Well, technically there is...I made a deal with him. We'll never mention and destroy all evidence of his Halloween in New Haven our freshmen years, and he'll never mention what he thinks happened to anyone either..."

She shrugged. "Well, that's better than nothing I guess. Plus, I guess this explains the weird looks Zack was giving me tonight at dinner..."

Cody just gave her a look. "He was?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah...I was wondering what was up with him, but I guess I know now."

"I'm sorry again, Sweetie...I never meant for this to happen. I'll definitely have a word with him about that though. But he did promise he would never say anything to anyone else. He should know that if he does, all bets are off about his Halloween in New Haven. Try not to worry about it..."

She sighed. "I know, but if its just the three of us here in the suite, you know he's not going to be able to refrain from making some kind of jokes about it or something..."

Cody paused and shrugged. "So, let him. He'll only continue to do so if we act like it bothers us. If we just ignore him, he'll eventually give up on it and move on to something else. Trust me...that's how he works."

"You really think so?"

"I'm almost positive. I mean...how do you think I survived growing up with him?" He grinned "Besides, we could always nip anything in the bud before it goes any further..."

Bailey just looked at him. "What are you talking about, Cody? How would we do that?"

Cody leaned in and whispered his idea into her ear. When he finished, he pulled back. "Well? What do you think?"

She just looked at him for a few seconds before she started laughing. "I'll admit...that's certainly one way of handling it. And I can see Zack isn't the only Martin twin with a twisted mind..."

He laughed too. "But I always try to use my powers for good..."

"I will give you that." She paused and smiled. "But maybe its worth giving it a shot? Besides, if it doesn't work, we can always go back to the drawing board..."

"You really think we should try it?"

"Sure, why not? When did you want to put this plan of yours into action?"

Cody grinned. "No time like the present..."

Meanwhile, Zack was in his room studying for his final exam when he began to hear noises coming from the other side of the common wall his and Cody and Bailey's bedroom shared. At first, he tried to ignore the noises as he couldn't tell what they were. But as time went on, he couldn't help but to keep hearing giggles and shrieks every so often. Zack tried to block them all out and focus on his notes, but eventually, he was unable to ignore it as the noises kept getting louder and more frequent. It was getting to the point where it was hard for him to concentrate. Sighing, he climbed off of his bed, walked out of his room and banged Cody and Bailey's bedroom door. The laughter immediately died down, and a few minutes later, the door opened a crack and Cody stuck his head out.

"What? This better be important as I'm kind of busy in here..."

But Zack just stared at his brother in surprise. In particular, it was obvious he wasn't wearing a shirt, and he had lipstick smudges all over his face. Zack felt his stomach beginning to churn and get a little nauseous. "Ummm...Can you two please keep it down in there? I am trying to study for my last final after all. I figure you two of all people would respect that..."

Cody grinned. "I guess we did get a little carried away, huh? But I guess we figured since you had us figured out, there was no reason for us to hide anything anymore. I have to admit Zack, I was wrong. I'm glad everything is out in the open now. This way, Bailey and I don't have to worry about sneaking around or hiding anything..."

Zack cringed. "Still doesn't mean I want to hear it!"

Cody just gave him a look. "That's funny. You wanted to hear all about it earlier. What's changed since then? I mean...you've already said you wouldn't say anything to anyone, and you're the only one here. What's the problem?"

"The problem is that you're my brother! You have any idea how disturbing it is to actually know what you two are doing inside there? Its really starting to freak me out! I would rather be studying than throwing up!"

Cody paused. "So, what you're saying is you would prefer that everyone forgets that you and I had that conversation earlier and we go back to acting like no one knows anything?"

Zack exhaled in relief. "I think that would be best..."

"Well, that would also include you refraining from making any wisecracks or giving us looks. Bailey told me about the ones you were giving her at dinner. Not cool, Bro."

"Fine...whatever. I'm sorry about that, and it won't happen again. I just don't want to hear anything else or I may end up scarred for life..."

Cody shrugged. "Alright. We'll try keep it down then. But any more wisecracks or jokes even if its just the three of us in here, and you best get your barf bucket ready then. This time, we we're trying to keep it down. Next time..."

"Okay, okay...deal. Consider it done!"

And with that, Cody closed the door in Zack's face and locked it behind him. He returned to bed and climbed back into it right next to Bailey. He just smiled at her.

"I take it you overheard all of that?"

She smiled back. "I did. I had to bite my inner lip a few times to keep from bursting out laughing. I can only imagine the uncomfortable look on his face..."

"Oh, trust me, it was priceless." He paused and grinned. "I did tell him we'd keep it down for now, but while he's gone for his final tomorrow, that doesn't mean..."

Bailey cut him off and gave him a stern look. "Oh yes, it does! If I cut you off from cooking and playing those video games, you really think I'm going to risk that? I don't think so..."

"But Bails..."

"But nothing, Cody. Until you heal, this is the way its going to be..." She smiled at him. "But remember our deal, Sweetie. You be a good boy and continue to let yourself heal, and once you have, I promise you everything will get back to normal. And I mean EVERYTHING. Think of it as a reward for good behavior..."

__The Boston University Fit&Rec Center__

The next day, Zack was still feeling a little uncomfortable around Cody and Bailey because of the night before. So, he was up and out of the suite before they got up, and he headed over to the BU library to continue studying there. At three o'clock that afternoon, he was ecstatic to walk out of his last final exam of the semester. And immediately, Zack headed over to the fit&rec center to see Maya. Her last final had been over by eleven o'clock that morning, but unfortunately for her, she had been strongly persuaded to work that front desk that afternoon to cover for others who still had finals. Maya really didn't mind though as the fit&rec center was a ghost town. Of the students left on campus, most were either studying, in a final or packing to go home. And as she sat there bored out of her mind, she couldn't help but longingly look forward to just teaching children's swim classes again and being far, far away from the front desk. That way, she wouldn't have to deal with Bruno who was still stopping by to see her every time she worked up there.

And that Saturday afternoon was no different – except for one thing. It was the first time she had worked the desk since being back together with Zack. So, she did her best to ignore Bruno whenever he came around without being too mean about it. And when Zack showed up about 3:30, she just smiled at him.

"How was your last final?"

"Over with."

She laughed. "It went that well, huh?"

He shrugged. "It wasn't too bad actually, but I...kept getting distracted while I was studying last night. Anyways, I'm just ready to not think about school for a while."

Maya gave him a look. "You mean for the week and a half we have before summer school starts?"

Zack sighed. "Yeah, I had almost forgotten about that. Thanks for reminding me..." He smiled. "So, what time do you get off today?"

She sighed this time. "I'm here until eight..."

"Well, how about we do something when you get off? You know...an actual real life date."

Maya grinned. "I think I could be up for that. How about we..." But before she could continue her suggestion, Bruno made another stop by the front desk. And when he saw Zack standing there talking to Maya, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Well, Maya, I see your little friend Zack is here...again."

She turned to face him. "Actually, he's not just my friend any more. Zack is my boyfriend now."

Zack spoke up too. "Yeah, I am. We decided to give us another shot." He gave Bruno a fake smile. "So, you should probably expect to see me around here a lot more often to see my girl."

Bruno looked him up and down. "Maybe you should spend some of that time lifting some weights." He smirked at him. "No offense, but you're kind of scrawny...If you'd like, I could design a weight lifting routine for you. I'll even start you off light so I don't break you..."

Zack kept smiling. "No thanks." He turned back to Maya. "If anything, I'd ask this beautiful young lady if there were any spots left in one of her swim classes for me."

Maya laughed. "Sorry, Zack...you're a little too old for any of my classes."

He winked at her. "How about private lessons then?"

"I think you already know how to swim, but I might be able to give you a few pointers. I'll have to test you out to see what level you are at right now..."

He grinned. "Sounds good to me. Maybe we should start off small...say the hot tub back at the Tipton?"

Maya just laughed again. "We'll see..."

"Now, if I get into any trouble there, can I expect some mouth to mouth?"

"Zack...behave yourself..." She paused before smiling. "Be a good boy though, and we'll see what happens. I certainly don't want you to drown..."

With that, Bruno rolled his eyes again and walked back to where he came from.

Once he was out of earshot, Zack just laughed. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have done all of that. But I can't help it...annoying him is fun!"

"Well, don't go too far with it. Just remember, his aunt is still my boss. Despite having to work the front desk a few times, I really do like my job here."

Zack paused. "I won't. I just want him to get it through his muscle bound head that you're mine."

Maya smiled at him again. "And I don't think I'll never get tired of hearing you say that."

He smiled too. "Me either. And I was serious about maybe a little soak time in the Tipton hot tub later. After this past week, I think we could both use it."

She sighed. "I can only imagine how good that would feel right now..."

"So, is it a date for later then?"

Maya paused. "As much as I would love that, I think Bailey made a really good point. Before we do anything else, I think we do need to sit down - without any distractions and have a talk about us. I want us to be on the same page going forward in our new relationship."

Zack nodded. "I think you're right." He paused and laughed. "You might have to bare with me though, this kind of a conversation will be a first for me..."

She laughed too. "And it won't be for me?" She smiled. "But I do think its a good sign for us that we're willing to do the mature thing here."

"I guess so..." He paused. "But we're still allowed to stupid stuff every once in a while, right?"

Maya just smiled at him. "I wouldn't want it any other way..."

__Back at the Tipton__

That same day, Cody and Bailey could only laugh when they noticed Zack was long gone from the suite by the time they had woken up. But Bailey was still being strict and making Cody take it easy. However, he didn't seem to mind her suggestion of them curling up on the couch and watching movies. By that afternoon, Cody was just laying back on the bed relaxing as Bailey was darting around the room around him sorting their dirty clothes into piles so she could begin doing their laundry. Finally, Cody can't take any more and spoke up.

"Bails, can I please help you?"

She shook her head. "Nope. You're doing exactly what you need to be doing. You're job is to rest and let yourself heal..."

He sighed. "I know, but I think I am feeling well enough to help sort clothes, Boo Boo. Besides, our clothes aren't heavy enough for me to risk popping a staple. Please? I'm really trying to be good here, but I'm tired of feeling completely worthless..."

Bailey just looked at him and sighed. "If I agree, will you promise not to over do it?"

Cody smiled. "I promise. And I even promise to refrain from being whiny or making suggestions about laundry techniques..."

She laughed. "You better not!"

"And if you insist of me taking it easy all next week too, I hope you will allow me one excursion out of the house tonight once we're done with our laundry."

"I'll think about it. It depends on what kind of excursion you have in mind..."

"To the Barnes & Noble down the street. If we're going to be cooped up in here all of next week, we might as well go ahead and get study guides for the MCAT and begin preparing for it..."

Bailey paused as she considered that. "You know, I think you're right. That's actually a great idea. We should go ahead and begin studying for it as soon as possible, and that will be a good way for us to spend our time..."

Cody grinned at her. "Zack was wrong. He said I'd never hear you say that I was right ever again once I put that ring on your finger..."

She just gave him a look. "Cody..."

"I know, Dear. I was just teasing you, but I say we get to work. You go downstairs and grab us a luggage cart to put our laundry baskets while I finish sorting everything up here."

Thirty minutes later, they were down in the laundry room with all of their clothes now going in washers.

"See, I'm getting closer to being back to normal."

Bailey teased him. "Well, as close as you ever will be. But I can definitely tell you are feeling much better." She sighed. "Of course, that would take away my excuse for putting London off..."

"What does she want now?"

"She's called me everyday this past week to see if we've picked a date yet for the wedding."

Cody paused. "Well, we do have some time right now that we could talk about it if you want. I'm game if you are."

"Really?"

He smiled. "Sure. I wouldn't mind knowing the exact day you'll become my wife myself."

Bailey smiled back at him. "Yeah, that would be a nice thing to know. And I really do think the summer between college and medical school would be our best bet. That way, we don't leave Gertie and Tapeworm in a lurch looking for and breaking in new roommates."

Cody nodded. "Good point. Plus, it would allow us to look into married student housing for medical school and not worry about having to break in new roommates ourselves where ever we end up."

"Exactly!"

He pulled out his phone and clicked on the calendar app he had. Scrolling through it, he got to the summer of 2015. "Alright, summer of 2015. Lets see what dates stand out to us. I'm assuming we'll probably want a Saturday..."

Bailey looked over his shoulder. "There's one that could work! June 6. That would be 6/6." She smiled. "I think we could remember that pretty easily. It is D-Day after all..."

"While I do have an affinity for the number six, I can see two potential problems with that."

"What?"

"Well, that would only be a couple of weeks after graduation. It could put a strain on our families and friends to have to fly in for both of those events one right after each other."

Bailey frowned as she realized that. "That could be a big problem, couldn't it? What's the other problem you see?"

Cody winked at her. "Well, I'm not superstitious or anything, but if we get married on 6/6 and have 6 kids, some people might see that as 6-6-6...the sign of the devil."

She just shook her head and laughed. "Good point..."

"And likewise, there is also August 8. 8/8. Easy to remember that one too. And an eight flipped on its side is the symbol of infinity which happens to be exactly how long I will love you."

Bailey leaned in and kissed him. "I like the sound of that, Sweetie." She paused and sighed. "But, now its my turn to see a potential problem with that date."

"What?"

"Sweetie, we haven't been accepted to a medical school yet, so we don't know which one we are going to yet. So, we don't know when our first day of orientation or classes will be yet. Some medical schools start very early in August. Even if 8/8 was before it started, it might prevent us from having a honeymoon..."

Cody hung his head as he realized she was right. "I see your point. Plus, we don't want to cram everything in so close together. Our wedding should be a joyous occasion where we're not worrying about starting school the next week. Ideally, I'd prefer we had enough time between the two..."

"Exactly. I think we need to keep looking at other dates."

Both continued looking until they both saw it at the same time. Both just looked up at each other and smiled.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Bailey laughed. "I think I am, but I can't help it. For some reason, I think that day would be absolutely perfect!"

"So do I. And it doesn't have any drawbacks that I can see either..."

"Sweetie...I think we now know what our wedding day will be."

__Maya's Dorm Room__

After Maya got off work, she suggested she and Zack head back to her dorm room so they could have their talk without worrying about anyone interrupting them. But once they both got inside, neither one of them had any idea of how to start or what to say. Finally, Zack decided to break the silence.

"So, why did you want to come here again?"

"Well, I thought it would give us the privacy we needed." She sighed. "But now that we're here, I have no idea how to start this."

"Me either."

Maya collected herself and her thoughts. "I guess the first thing I want to say is how happy I am that we are back together."

Zack nodded. "Me too."

"And I know I don't want to do anything to screw this up again. So, I promise you that if I feel like I'm getting spooked again, I'll talk to you about it."

"Yeah, that would probably be a good thing for both of us to promise." He paused. "And while we're at it, I can acknowledge that some of my actions probably did lead to you getting spooked the first time. I know saying old habits die hard isn't a good excuse, but its the only one I have. So, I promise I will not intentionally flirt with any other girls..."

Maya just looked at him. "Intentionally?"

"I mean I won't actively be flirting with anyone besides you. And I'll do my best to not accidentally do it either, but I do know that I am a very outgoing person. If I find myself in a situation where I think someone might be getting the wrong impression from me, I will immediately put a halt to it."

Maya nodded. "I can understand that. I'll promise to do the same."

Zack smiled. "So, I don't have to worry about some five year old trying to steal my girl away from me?"

She laughed. "I think that's a safe assumption." She paused. "Above all, I just want us to be open and honest with each other. If something is bothering you, just tell me. We'll sit down, discuss it and try to come up with a solution."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. And I want you to talk to me too if something is bothering you too."

"I will." She smiled. "But above all, I just want us to be us. I want us to embrace who each other is. No more trying to impress the other by trying to be someone else. And I hope you know you don't have to go all out or trick old women just to get me something you think I'll like..."

He smiled back. "I know that now. And I'll try to be understanding of your studies and work obligations just like I know you will be with mine."

"Of course. Now, around finals time, if Moseby sends you off for visits so you can get work done, I could keep you company and get work done myself."

"I like the sound of that. And I'm sure Moseby wouldn't mind. You would give a woman's perspective on things that I can't."

"Good." She paused. "There is one more thing though you might not like."

"What's that?"

"My parents want to finally meet you."

Zack swallowed. "They do?"

Maya smiled. "Yeah. They say its high time they meet the guy who meant so much to me that I've done all of this."

He sighed. "Great. Us Martin men don't exactly make good first impressions on a girl's parents. I mean...Mimi still doesn't like my Dad. And at first, Bailey's parents didn't care for Cody either."

"But they adore him now. I mean, her father did give his blessing for Cody to propose to Bailey and marry her after all. So, I think its safe to say they've come around."

"Yeah, but he had to come up with a plan to save their family farm for them to see him differently. I don't think your parents have a farm I could try to save. Either way, I have a bad feeling about this..."

Maya smiled, leaned in and kissed him. "Either way, I don't care. I love you, and you love me. That's all that matters to me. If my parents don't like that, they'll just have to learn to accept it."

"You really think so?"

"I know so...And I know we're in a good place right now. Besides, with my Dad's schedule, you'll probably have some time before you have to worry about meeting them. I wouldn't worry about it too much." She grinned. "I also know we should head out and get some food. I'm starving!"

Zack laughed. "Actually, me too."

"Lets go then..." She winked at him. "Just give me a minute to grab a swimsuit for the Tipton hot tub later..."

Zack just smiled to himself. Maya was right. They were in a good place right now. And he had to admit Bailey was right too. There was no feeling like being complete once again. But, meeting Maya's parents still scared him to death. He only hoped it would happen on better circumstances than when Cody finally met the Picketts.

_To be Continued..._

**AN: C-A-T-S CATS! CATS! CATS! I hope everyone will be rooting on the Cats as they face the dirty birds of city commuter college today. Lets hope they humiliate them! Maybe then the state of Kentucky can finally sell the city of Louisville to Indiana and be done with them! Oh alright, the city itself isn't that bad, but UofLOL is. Anyways, GO CATS!**


	4. Deja Vu All Over Again

_Episode 4_

__"Deja Vu All Over Again"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

The next week brought with it some something Cody had been anxiously looking forward to - his appointment at the Tipton Clinic to hopefully get his staples removed. Unfortunately for Cody, the doctor who was going to do it was one Cody had gotten to know quite well the previous summer, and he was purposely taking his time running tests and other examinations and dragging it out to make sure everything was alright. But a couple of hours later, Cody was finally free of any foreign metal objects in his body. While he was pretty relieved that he had been cleared as 'back to normal' again, it was nothing compared to the level of relief of his fiancee and mother. And while Bailey and Carey had accompanied him for his appointment, Cody's mother's presence was causing him a quandary. While the doctor had cleared him to resume almost all typical activities, there was one question Cody wanted to ask about in particular but didn't want his mother to hear him ask it.

But that's when fortune decided to smile down on him as Carey's cell phone rang, and she stepped out of the room to answer it while Cody was allowed to put his shirt back on. Immediately, he turned to the doctor and spoke low.

"Ummm...Dr. Kinsey. You said I was cleared to resume most activities, but I was wondering if...you know...I was cleared to do a certain other activity..." Cody's face flushed as he beat around the bush.

Upon hearing what he was alluding to, Bailey's eyes went wide and she blushed a little bit. However, her curiosity as to the answer to the question overrode any embarrassment she might be feeling.

Dr. Kinsey just looked back and forth between them before laughing. "Yeah, you're cleared. No chance of hurting anything by resuming an intimate relationship. But as two future doctors, that is a question you two should get used to having asked of you..."

Bailey gave him a look. "I sure hope not! I plan on being a pediatrician!"

Upon hearing that, they all busted out laughing. And they were still doing so when Carey returned back to the room. Seeing everyone laughing, she looked around.

"What so funny?"

Cody shook his head. "Nothing, Mom. Just a little medical humor..."

With Cody now cleared to get his life back to normal, he and Bailey did tell the Tipton Clinic they would begin work the next Monday. And that next Monday would be the first week of summer school for both Zack and Maya. With both of those set, it was time for everyone's summers to officially begin. And once they did, they began to move fast. And work and school wasn't the only thing they had to deal with either. For Cody and Bailey, this included finally giving London the wedding date they had decided on so that she would get off of their backs for a little while. And to their surprise, it bought time for them with the rest of their families as well. Knowing there was a date set, everyone was more willing to back off and let Cody and Bailey deal with what the felt was more important at the time. That more important thing was the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Not only did they spend a lot of their summer studying for it with both books and computer resources, they had gone ahead and scheduled themselves a date to take the test. After looking at all of the options and comparing it to the Yale 2013-2014 academic calendar to make sure there wouldn't be any conflicts, they chose a Saturday in early January before school started back. They knew that would give them plenty of time to study all summer, some during the semester, and all of Christmas break. If they did well on the MCAT and kept their grades up, they hoped they would have no problems getting into a top notch medical school.

And speaking of keeping their grades up, there was the issue of their grades from the previous semester. Finally, at the end of May, Yale posted their grades online and mailed them out. For the fourth time since they had begun college, Cody and Bailey celebrated getting another round of 4.0s. And they decided that was reason enough to celebrate.

"You know what this means, Bails?"

She smiled. "Other than the fact that we have yet another reason to celebrate? I mean, in the past month, we've had us getting engaged and you having your staples removed and deemed perfectly healthy. This is just icing on the cake..."

Cody laughed. "Well, yeah, we do have those...but I was thinking along other lines. If we can pull off 4.0s again next semester, all of our initial med school applications will show us having perfect cumulative 4.0s from Yale. That has to make us look good on our applications!"

Bailey paused to consider that. "You're right. It would. Perfect grades from an Ivy League school would have to make us stand out. I'm sure there are others out there, but I think we'd be part of a pretty small number..."

"Exactly..."

She grinned. "And if we pull it off next semester, our schedules will only get easier, so there's no reason why we can't pull 4.0s all the way through undergrad..."

He laughed and tried to slow her down. "Easy, Bails. One step at a time. Lets worry about next semester before we even think of anything beyond it."

"You're right. We don't want to get too cocky." She paused. "Even though I know we're both easily capable of doing it."

"I know, but I've learned not to count your chickens before there hatched..." He paused and looked at her. "Besides, after we get accepted to medical school, who is to say we both won't get struck with a bad case of senioritis?"

Bailey just looked at him for a few seconds before they both busted out laughing.

For Zack and Maya, they did enjoy the week and a half they had off. And their reward for that was getting their grades back the day before they were to start summer school. All things considered, they were both satisfied with Zack's 3.25 and Maya's 3.40. Of course, Maya couldn't resist teasing Zack that her grades were better than his. Naturally, he teased her back that she was still taking first year courses while he was taking upper level and thus harder ones. He just reminded her that when he was taking freshman classes, he had done better than her.

But while both enjoyed their break, soon enough they were in summer school. For twelve straight weeks, Zack would be taking SMG SM 299, Management as a System. For the first six weeks of those, Maya would be in CAS BI 211, Human Physiology, and she would be taking CAS MA 113 Elementary Statistics the last six weeks. But they did have the one benefit they loved. Three days a week, they got to have breakfast before class and lunch together afterwards before heading to their respective jobs. And after the first week of summer school, they were enjoying lunch on a Friday afternoon and comparing notes.

"So, is it as bad as you thought it would be so far?"

Zack shrugged. "Actually, its not. Its just kind of dry and boring, but it all makes sense so far. How about yours?"

Maya smiled. "Well, it sucks, but I think its probably better than the two physics classes I'll have to take next summer will be. All I know is that I'll fully expect you to tutor me in my stats class..."

He laughed. "You sure about that? I've never tutored anyone before. Well, unless you count my trying to help Cody with wood shop, but that didn't work out too well though..." He paused. "Of course, their college has a woodshop in it, and Bailey decided to try to teach him. I guess she had the magic touch as Cody now thinks he's on his way to being Bob Vila. Not sure what that says about me as a tutor though..."

She laughed too. "I think it says he much rather would be taught by her. And remember, I was there over Thanksgiving to see him continuing to teach her how to cook. I just genuinely think they view it as a way to spend time together while still being productive." She paused. "I hope they don't mind if I pick their brains if I have questions in my Biology class though. With them being Biology majors at Yale, I'm not about to let that opportunity go to waste. Same thing with my physics classes next summer too..."

"Go for it." He grinned. "But just a little warning about those two - both can get very frustrated when they tutor people. They think everyone should be at the same level as them. Both tried to tutor London at different times, and it almost drove them crazy."

"I'll keep that in mind." She sighed. "I just wish we actually had some free time to do something fun this summer. By the time summer school ends, it will almost be time to begin the fall semester."

Zack nodded. "I know, and I've actually been doing some thinking about that."

"Oh yeah? Come up with any ideas?"

"Well, you aren't low man on the totem pole at the fit&rec center any more are you?"

She shook her head. "I won't be come fall semester. Why?"

He grinned. "Then you should be able to get our next spring break off. I say we do something fun then. I'll take off work too, and we'll go somewhere warm and fun. After both of us being in school nonstop for so long, we deserve the chance to blow off some steam!"

Maya grinned back. "I'm in!"

But beyond academics and work, other aspects of everyone's lives continued on over that summer too. In particular, it was a chance for everyone to catch up with family members they hadn't seen in a while. When it came time for Father's Day, Kurt surprised his boys by giving them both a few weeks notice that he was planning on being in Boston to visit them. Of course, his visit was going to cause two trips to be cancelled. For Zack, he was actually relieved as he wasn't quite ready to meet Maya's Dad just yet. But for Cody, he was a little disappointed that he wouldn't be in Kettlecorn when Bailey got to show off her new ring to everyone for the first time. And while Maya and Bailey both wished their guys could join them, both understood the need for the twins to spend some time with their Dad. When Kurt got to Boston on the Friday night before Father's Day, he immediately pulled both of his boys into a tight embrace. When he pulled back, he couldn't help but smile.

"Alright guys, you've gotta stop making your old man look so bad..."

"What do you mean, Dad?"

"Well, let me think. Both of you are kicking school in the butt. I never did that. And Zack, you've got yourself a steady girlfriend again, and Cody, you've got yourself a fiancee!." Kurt laughed. "I can't keep up with you two..."

Zack laughed. "Well, Dad, you are a rock star. You should have an easier time with the ladies than us...at least I've always had an easier time that Cody has..."

Cody glared at his brother. "Which one of us has had a girlfriend for the majority of the past five years?"

Kurt decided to nip a brotherly argument in the bud. "Actually, I don't have very much luck at all. I'm never in the same city for more than a week at a time, and for some reason, women my age don't think that makes you a viable candidate for a relationship..."

Cody paused while he thought about that. "Well, have you ever thought that eventually you might want to switch from a life on the road to something more behind the scenes and stable?"

Kurt sighed. "To be honest, I've been thinking about that a whole lot lately. I know this might sound ironic to you guys, but living in a hotel gets really old after a while."

"Because we aren't living out of a suitcase."

"Trust me, that gets even older..." He paused. "But things might be changing. An old buddy of mine who I've know for years wants me to join his label as a producer and song writer. I'd be in one place with very little travel anymore..."

Zack nodded. "Is that something you'd be happy doing?"

"I think so..." Kurt grinned. "Plus, I think I could definitely get used to taking my talents to South Beach..."

Both Cody and Zack's eyes went wide. "As in Miami?"

"Yeah. No offense to Boston, but the weather here sucks for half the year..." Kurt kept grinning. "Plus, there is another perk I've discovered. Turns out, there is Monday Night Football game on December 30th between the Dolphins...and the Patriots. I know you guys about froze your butts off in New York this past year. How does coming down to visit your old man for a few days and spending New Year's Eve wearing shorts sound to you guys?"

Now Cody and Zack were both grinning. "We're there, Dad!"

Immediately, Cody added. "Of course, that's assuming Bailey is agreeable, but I don't see that being a problem..."

Zack nodded. "Same with Maya. We're were actually just talking a couple of weeks ago about wanting to get away from Boston for a while. We can call them right now to make sure they are game..." He paused and grinned at his Dad. "Just think, Dad...you'll be living in Miami. Just think of all of the ladies you'll be surrounded by down there..."

Kurt laughed. "I know...But I'm the only one of us here than can look all they want without worrying about getting ripped a new one if they get caught..."

Both of the twins decided to wait and drop the surprise on their significant others when they returned back to Boston. Maya almost agreed before Zack could finish saying what it was.

"We'll actually get to so something fun this year after all!"

Zack laughed. "Yeah, we will. You think you can handle sitting through a Patriots and Dolphins game?"

Maya just looked at him. "Remember, as a Giants fan, I hate the Jets as much as you do. So, which ever team winning helps the Giants the most, I'll root for them. If the game is meaningless to them, I'll root for whoever winning hurts the Jets the worst." She grinned and teased him. "And if that game won't affect them at all, I say 'Go Dolphins!"

Zack shook his head. "I really need to start rooting for the Cowboys, Eagles and Redskins..."

She leaned in and kissed him deeply. "I don't think you want to do that, do you?"

He was left with his knees weak. "On second thought, you're right..." He paused and smiled. "I do think its safe to say you could wear your Manning jersey and be the only one there wearing one..."

Maya laughed. "Probably, but that would require me wearing it outdoors..."

"I thought you said you liked it."

"I do. Zack, I love that jersey. Yeah, Eli is my boy, but you gave it to me. That's why its so special to me. Zack, I sleep in that jersey every night..." She smiled. "I doubt people would want to see me out in my pajamas..."

Zack paused and grinned. "I know of one person..."

"Behave yourself..."

"I can't help it. I have a beautiful girlfriend who I like to spend as time with as I can. Not my fault work and school keeps getting in the way. Besides, I do remember last week being happy to see you show up at my door only to find out that you were there so you could spend time with my brother..."

Maya smiled. "And his fiancee so they could help me study for my biology exam. And thanks to to them, I think I did really well on it." She paused. "I wish I had some way to thank them for that. I know I've never been all that close with either of them before, but I really appreciate them taking the time to do that..."

"Well, they know you make me happy, so they wanted to help. Besides, I get the feeling that you all will get to know each other pretty well from here on."

"You think so?"

He smiled. "Yeah. Thanks to me, you all are hanging around each other more and more, so you're bound to get closer. And even if you do have disagreements with them, no big deal. Trust me, Bailey and I barely see eye to eye on anything. But the one thing we do is that we both love Cody. It will be the same for you and Cody because of me."

"I hope you're right."

"I think I am." He yawned and leaned back in to the couch. "I sure am glad we have next Thursday off for the 4th of July, but it sucks that I have to be back in class the next morning at 8:30..."

Maya grinned. "I would say I'll be thinking about you then, but I'll probably still be asleep. I don't have classes on Fridays this second six weeks."

Zack groaned. "Great...Just don't expect me to stay out late that night of the 4th..."

She continued to tease him. "That's fine. I'll just stay out and have fun when you head home..."

He just looked at her. "Oh really..." Zack then began tickling her. "Going to have fun without me, huh?"

Maya laughed as she tried to get away from him. "I was just kidding!"

Unlike Maya, Bailey initially had a few concerns about the potential trip to Miami over New Year's. Mainly, they would only have a week left when they got back to Boston before they were scheduled to take the MCAT. She worried that they would be cutting things a little close, but after thinking about it more, Bailey realized after studying for it nonstop for eight months, a break right before it might be good for them. So, happily, she told Cody to tell Kurt that they would be there as well. But that trip was still over five months away. Cody and Bailey were more focused on another trip on two weeks away - their trip back to Kettlecorn for Bailey's birthday. This time, Cody was definitely going too, and he was curious to see the reception he would get.

_Kettlecorn_

Naturally, Cody had nothing to worry about. Once they got back there, he got slapped on the back so many times in congratulations that he feared getting a bruise. But, everyone seemed to be welcoming him to the family, and that was just fine with him. In fact, it took almost a half hour after they had sat down for dinner at the restaurant for people to stop coming by to congratulate Bailey and Cody. When they did, they were able to have more of a family conversation.

Eunice smiled at Cody. "I have to say...that ring is absolutely gorgeous."

Grammy Pickett nodded. "It beautiful. And you say its been in your family how long?"

Cody paused. "To be honest, I'm not really sure just how long it has been, but I believe its been in the Martin family for over a thousand years. Bailey and I took it to an appraiser to so we could insure it, but the lady wasn't familiar with Scandinavian jewelry to be able to date it accurately."

Eunice's eyes went wide. "A thousand years?" She shook her head. "Wow..."

Bailey smiled. "I know, right? I feel so honored to wear it. And knowing its a family heirloom, I can pass it along to our descendants some day to keep it in the family..."

Grammy Pickett paused as the thought to herself. "Yeah...that's a wonderful idea."

Cody spoke up. "And like me, that ring has a twin. My brother Zack has one with rubies instead." He laughed. "I don't think Maya knows it exists yet though..."

Clyde decided to change the subject though. "Now, let me get this straight. They actually gave you your appendix to take home with you?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. Its a small jar full of formaldehyde back in my room at the Tipton."

Clyde shook his head. "That's so...so...cool! You'll have to bring it when y'all come back for Christmas! I can't wait to see it!"

Cody laughed. "Consider it done. But you'd be surprised by how many people it freaks out. My Mom just shudders every time she sees it..."

Eunice smiled. "Well, I can't say I blame her. She was probably freaked out that something that small could have caused you really big problems."

Bailey shuddered herself. "I'm just glad everything is okay now. Cody's staples are out, and he's just fine now. I know I'm going to be a doctor, but I don't really like seeing that thing either..."

Cody squeezed her hand. "Well, I got lucky. Thanks to them using the laparascope, I don't have much of a scar at all..."

Clyde frowned. "A what?"

"They just made two small incisions. One was for the small camera with a light to see what they were doing, and the other was for the laparascope which is basically a laser they used to cut out my appendix..."

He shook his head. "What will they think of next? I'm just glad you two will be doctors so we'll have you two around to help us deal with stuff like that..."

Bailey smiled. "We will, Daddy."

Eunice decided to change the subject back to a more pleasant topic. "So, you two have picked a date about two years from now, but that's all you've done so far?"

"Yes, Momma. We'll have plenty of time to worry about everything else later." She laughed. "Besides, we already have London probably making plans for us already."

Eunice paused. "Why does that not make be feel any better?"

Cody grinned. "You aren't the only one..."

Everyone began laughing at that. And they continued joking around as their food was finally served. Unbeknownst to them, someone was watching them from outside through a window. When someone left the restaurant, he stopped them.

"It looks like the Pickett family is in there celebrating something. Any idea what it is?"

The older woman just shook her head. "Moose, they're celebrating the fact that Bailey and Cody are now engaged to be married. And you should see the ring he gave her! Its gorgeous! He says its came from his family in Sweden..."

But Moose just stared at her in shock. Bailey and the Little Feller were now engaged? He just shook his head and muttered under his breath.

"Two can play that game..."

_Boston_

Once back in Boston, everyone began the home stretches of their summers. For Zack and Maya, it was the last couple of weeks of summer school. For Cody and Bailey, it was the final couple of weeks of work before they had to head back to Yale for their junior years. Either way, all four spent a lot of time those weeks with their noses in books studying whether it be for a test in a matter of days or several months away. August 9th was Zack and Maya's last day of summer school, and the day of both of their finals. And once it was over, both were exhausted, but in a good way. They barely had enough energy to make it to Maya's dorm room where they both just collapsed on to her bed.

"I'm so glad we have three weeks of no more classes now..."

Maya sighed. "The way I feel now, I might still be laying here for those entire three weeks..."

Zack laughed weakly. "Tell me about it. I'd do the same, but I don't think you're dorm mistress would be too happy about that..."

"Yeah, I liked the old one much, much better. As long as no one no one was getting hurt or no major crimes were being committed, she looked the other way. This new one..." She shook her head. "I swear I think she feels like she's the warden, and we're prisoners not college students."

"I'm glad I never had to deal with one of those. Mom's watching eye is enough for me..."

Maya was about to say something, when both heard an unmistakeable sound.

Both groaned. "A fire alarm right now? Really?"

Maya sighed. "Great. I get to go wait outside for who knows how long before I can finally get back in here and take a nap..."

Zack paused. "Forget that. Pack a bag real quick. I have a perfectly good couch back at the Tipton. Its yours if you want it." He yawned. "Just don't expect me to be good host for a couple of hours though..."

Thirty minutes later, they were back at the Tipton and in Zack's suite. And as soon as they got there, they repeated their earlier move when both practically fell into the couch. Seems the subway ride just wore them out even more.

Maya yawned. "Wake me up in a couple of hours..."

Zack yawned too. "Will do...I'll get up in a second to hit my bed..."

But within fifteen minutes, both were out like a light. And in the course of their nap, both stretched out, got comfortable, and eventually Zack ended up spooning Maya. By the time Cody and Bailey got home from work that day, both were a little surprised with that sight they saw. Bailey smiled though.

"Awww...How precious."

Cody laughed. "It really is." He paused. "I remember when you and I fell asleep like that for the first time."

"Me too." Bailey paused this time and laughed. "I'm half tempted to wake them up so I can see how they react when they find out what they were doing..."

"Before you do though..." Cody pulled out his cell phone and took a few pictures of Zack and Maya.

"What are you doing, Cody?"

He grinned. "Call it insurance against Zack. If he tries to blackmail us again, we now have another ace up our sleeves..."

But seeing them sleeping so peacefully, they decided that a joint nap sounded pretty good themselves. So, Cody and Bailey headed off into their room. Unfortunately, their nap didn't last that long as they were woken up by a commotion including screams coming from the main part of the suite. When they came out of the room, they saw Zack and Maya both looking a little freaked out, each sitting on the far ends of the couch.

Cody turned to Bailey. "I guess they finally woke up..."

But Zack was oblivious to them and was just babbling. "Maya...I didn't...I would never..."

Maya was doing her own version of babbling at the same time. "I have no idea...I..."

Cody and Bailey just shook their heads and laughed. And that caught the attention of both Zack and Maya.

"What's so funny?"

Bailey smiled. "I can already tell you how this is going to go. Neither of you intended for it to happen, but you both fell asleep and it did. Its no big deal. It happens all the time."

Cody nodded. "And after you both calm down a little bit, you'll both realize you both kind of enjoyed it and wouldn't mind it happening again. It happens."

Maya just looked at them with her eyes wide. "And just how do you know all of that?"

Bailey laughed. "Because we lived the same thing about..." She paused to think. "Twenty-one months ago. So, we've been there before." She turned to Cody. "Come on, Cody Bear. Lets go finish our nap. They can take it from here."

When Cody and Bailey headed back into their room, Zack and Maya just looked at each other.

"You think they're right?"

Maya paused. "Well, I do know I was very comfortable..."

"Yeah, me too..."

"You think that we'll want to try that again?"

Zack laughed. "Well, I hope so...you know...at some point."

She shook her head. "Stupid question, huh?"

"Nah..." He yawned again. "But I'm still tired. I willing to give it another shot if you are..."

Maya laughed. "Why not?"

Fifteen minutes later, they were both asleep again.

The next Friday, August 16th, was Cody and Bailey's last day of work for the summer. That way, they'd have a week off before it was time for them to move back to New Haven. The dorms opened back up on the 21st, but they decided to wait to move back until the following weekend. And on that Friday night, before they were about to go to bed, Bailey turned to Cody.

"I spoke with Gertie today. She and Tapeworm will both be moving in next Saturday too. He's bringing his father's truck so we can pick up the stuff from the rental unit on Saturday afternoon. And her flight gets in about noon, so Tapeworm is going to pick her up then. So, we should probably leave her by 9:30 Saturday morning at the latest.

Cody paused and grinned. "Maybe we should head back on Friday night then?"

"But it would just be the two of us there..." Bailey paused and grinned too. "I think you're right. Friday night does sound much, much better. It will be nice to have a little privacy again for a change..."

_To be Continued..._

**AN: Never been so happy to post a chapter in my life. I'm physically exhausted right now as its been a looooooooong day here in LexVegas. But rest assured, I refrained from burning anything or breaking anything or doing anything else too stupid. Eight is great, but nine will be divine.**_  
><em>


	5. Creeps and Pervs

_Episode 5_

__"Creeps and Pervs"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__New Haven__

Heading back to New Haven late Friday morning had been their plan. Unfortunately for Cody and Bailey, their plan kept running into obstacles that delayed their departure. While the car was all packed and ready to head out by 9:00 AM, when they went to say goodbye to Carey, she sweet talked them into having breakfast with her before they left. Even though Cody was now perfectly healthy and had been back to normal for a few months now, Carey was still a little reluctant to have him out of her sight again. But she also knew they were heading back to school eventually whether she liked it or not, so she took what she could get. And that was fine with Cody and Bailey as it only delayed them about an hour and a half. That would still get them back on campus at two that afternoon. Unfortunately for them, their real delay occured when they got back to the hotel from having breakfast down the street. That was when they ran into London who had had an armful of bridal magazines and catalogs she wanted to look through with them. Both just looked at each other and decided they could spend a little time doing that. But it wasn't long before she was pushing them to make decisions about things, so they made up a fake appointment back at school they had to get back for.

"Alright, I can understand that, but we aren't done talking about this yet! I will get answers out of you two soon!"

Cody and Bailey just nodded their agreement so they could get out of there ASAP. So nothing else would stop them, they took the stairwell that went all the way to the garage so they wouldn't run into anyone else they knew in the lobby that could slow them down. When they got to the car, they hightailed it out of Boston as quickly as they could. Once they got back to school, they finally allowed themselves to relax and take a deep breath before spending the rest of the afternoon moving all of their things back into their dorm rooms. Well, almost. Once they got everything unloaded out of the car and upstairs, they took a break to enjoy finally having some time all alone. They enjoyed it so much so they didn't do anything else the rest of that night.

On Saturday morning, Cody and Bailey slept in a little before finished unpacking the rest of their things. However, checking their clock, they knew they had to be quick about it. While Tapeworm and Gertie were due to arrive a little after one o'clock that afternoon, Cody and Bailey actually did have appointments that morning to meet with both of their advisers to discuss their schedules/progress in their majors. While the meeting with their Biology one was just a cursory one, their meeting with their EP&E adviser lasted over an hour. Unlike how they would usually do things, some of EP&E seminars that semester required the professor's permission to enroll in the class. You couldn't do the shop around method with those, so they had to go visit those professors and try to get in. Fortunately, as they were among the first ones to inquire about them, both easily got spots reserved for them in those classes.

After all of that and grabbing lunch, they got back to Cody's room to take a breather at a quarter till one. With no furniture in the rooms yet, they were sitting on the floor watching TV when the door swung open. Tapeworm and Gertie walked in carrying their bags before both dropping them once they got inside.

"Hey! We know you two!"

Bailey smiled at them. "Welcome back you two. Long time, no see."

"You two haven't been sitting around here waiting long have you?"

"Nah. We got in..." She paused. "...a little early to meet with our advisers. We just got back to the room ourselves. Your timing is actually perfect."

"Good." Tapeworm grinned. "Cody, its good to see you up and about again. Have the doctors cleared you yet to return to normal?" He paused. "Well, as normal as you'll ever be..."

Cody laughed. "Yeah, they did that a couple of months ago. I've been cleared to resume my usual routine by my doctor, my Mom and Bailey..."

Tapeworm laughed too. "Good. I was worried I was going to have to do all of the heavy lifting by myself. I think you and I should head on over to the storage place and load up everything while we're still fresh and have energy. Unfortunately, Dad's truck isn't a king cab, so there's not room for all four of us..."

Gertie grinned. "Well, just stay here and catch up then. I mean, they did just get engaged when we last saw them, I've sure there's been all kinds of discussions about that..."

Bailey laughed. "Sounds good to me."

Cody shook his head. "Uh uh. There is plenty of other work to be done. Bails, you two take our car and go get the refrigerators for the rooms. We'll all meet back here and unload everything before dropping the cars off in the garage later. Then, we can all catch up once we're all settled back in..."

"I suppose that would be the prudent thing to do. I guess we can handle two refrigerators. Those shouldn't be too bad. I mean, the three of us handled them last year without the car. This should be a snap." She turned to Gertie. "This will only take a few minutes, and then we can chat."

Tapeworm grinned again. "Oh, I don't know about all of that. Cody and I would never deny you the ladies the chance to help us unload the truck too. I mean, we're not chauvinists. We're both equal opportunity kind of guys..."

Cody laughed while Bailey and Gertie just gave them both a dirty look. But by six o'clock that afternoon, everything was unloaded in the rooms, and Tapeworm and Gertie finished unpacking their things. Soon enough, both dorm rooms looked like they did the last semester. By then, everyone was getting hungry, but since the dining halls didn't open until the next morning, they agreed grabbing some dinner out along with a trip to Wal-Mart for supplies was a good idea. And while they were eating, they finally got the chance to catch up with each other.

"So, how was your summers?"

Gertie smiled. "Pretty good. I mean, it sucked that we were in two different places for most of them, but we did get to see each other in person at least every three weeks, so it was bearable. And we took advantage of the time we did have together, so all in all, we can't complain. But, we are both happy to be back here now. How about your all's summers?"

Bailey smiled too. "They were fine. Once Cody was healed up, we mainly just worked and studied for the MCAT. Other than that, we most just hung out by ourselves or in a group with others. Plus, we did go out on several double dates with Zack and Maya."

Tapeworm spoke up. "Speaking of which, I did notice we were down two movers today..."

Cody laughed. "Well, last year, Zack was leery of being alone with Maya. This year, he couldn't wait for us to leave so he could more time alone with her..."

"Ahhh...understandable. I think you and I both know that feeling all too well."

Gertie turned to Bailey. "Alright, I have to ask. Like I said earlier, the last time we saw you guys, you had just gotten engaged. Have you guys planned anything yet?"

"All we've done is to set a date, but it won't be until after we graduate. We didn't want to leave you guys in a lurch having to break in new roommates your senior years..."

Tapeworm looked over at Gertie. "That's code for Bailey wanting to put off having to live with Cody for as long as she can..."

Gertie shook her head. "I doubt that as they practically live together as it is..." She turned back to Bailey. "Anyways, we do appreciate you guys thinking of us like that. So, what date did you choose?"

Bailey smiled. "July 11, 2015."

Tapeworm couldn't help but laugh as he realized the significance of that date. "You're getting married on 7/11?" He shook his head at Cody. "Will the reception be slurpees and microwaveable burritos?"

Cody rolled his eyes. "You forgot the beef and turkey jerky. Actually, that date made a lot of sense to us. Too early in the summer, and it could put a burden on our families with it and graduation almost back to back. Too late in the summer, and we could have to scrap it and reschedule depending on our yet to be determined med school schedules."

Bailey nodded. "Exactly. Plus, we thought it appropriate. Yeah, its the name of a convenience store, but its one open 24/7/356. That's exactly how long our hearts will always be open to each other."

"Awww..."

Cody smiled. "Plus, our anniversary will always be exactly one week after the 4th of July. So, it should be easy to remember."

Tapeworm just gave him a look and teased him. "So, one week after you celebrate America's independence, you're going to give up your own?"

Gertie elbowed him. "Be nice..."

"You're right. What was I thinking?" He grinned. "Those two are practically already married as it is. I doubt anything will change at all..."

After having all weekend to get themselves re-acclimated to being on campus again, the first day of classes was to be the following Wednesday. And since the Monday after that was Labor Day and classes would be canceled for it, the strange schedule quirk of going to your Monday classes on Friday was once again in effect. As juniors, they were all used to it by then, but they still couldn't help but to laugh when they saw all of the confused freshmen.

As for Cody and Bailey's schedule that semester, they would be experiencing two things they had grown accustomed to at Yale for the final times. First, this would be the last semester where they would be taking six classes. Their final three semesters would feature at the most five and more likely, only four classes. Second, this would be the final semester they would be taking a laboratory class. Once this semester was over, they would have fulfilled all lab requirements for both their biology degrees and medical school admissions requirements. So, entering into what they thought would be their last 'intensive' semester, Cody and Bailey were looking at a complete split - three Biology classes and three EP&E classes.

For Biology, the final class they were required to take was MCDB 300, Biochemistry, and they would have it every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9:00-10:40. Not only was it the final required class they had to take for their Biology Degree, it was also a class they needed to take that would be extensively covered on the MCAT. Accompanying it was the final lab Cody and Bailey would ever take as undergraduates, MCDB 301L on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9:00-12:00. This lab was not needed for their degrees, but almost all of the top medical schools in the country required all applicants to have taken it. So, that made it a must take for them. Finally, they were enrolled in MCDB 210, Developmental Biology, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00-12:15. Normally, biology majors had to take one of either MCDB 210 or MCDB 205, Cell Biology, as a prerequisite to graduate. But since Cody and Bailey had taken Cell Biology the previous spring (it was the final they had just walked out of when Cody collapsed), they figured that since MCDB 210 was heavily covered on the MCAT too, they would take it as one of their electives.

Their final three classes of the semester would all go towards satisfying their EP&E requirements, and all three of them would be a seminar class of one type or another. As Cody and Bailey began their junior years, they had already completed seven of the fifteen classes they would need for the bachelor of arts degree including all six introductory courses. Next on their agenda was to take care of the core classes of the major. In order for Cody and Bailey to do that, they would have to complete four classes, one of which they had already taken the previous semester in EP&E 215, Classics of Ethics, Politics and Economics. That left three core classes to complete, and one of those, their advanced seminar, they were told to wait and take during their senior years. So, that left them two seminar classes they had to take, and each of them had to come from a different one of three areas of concentration.

And this is where Cody and Bailey decided to have some fun. Bailey would get to pick a class for them to take that she found interesting while Cody would get to do the same for their other one. Naturally, both reminded the other not to pick something that sucked or something they knew the other had no interest in whatsoever. With those ground rules set, Cody followed 'ladies first' and let Bailey choose first, and she chose EP&E 261, Animal Ethics. He could only nod that it actually did sound pretty interesting. They would have it on Wednesday afternoons from 1:30-3:20, so it fit their schedule perfectly. Plus, it would cover the EP&E area of concentration of Social Theory and Cultural Analysis. With that area now off limits for the other class he got to choose, Cody was now on the clock. And rather quickly, he settled on EP&E 248, American Political Institutions. Like Cody had before, Bailey nodded her approval and thought it sounded interesting. And like the class Bailey had chose, this seminar too would follow their Biochem lab, but this time on Monday afternoons from 1:30-2:20. So, it too fit their schedule perfectly while it It would cover the area of concentration of Political Systems. Both Bailey and Cody felt good about their selections, and were happy that the other had chosen wisely as well. They even joked that if all went well that semester, they might try the same arrangement again their senior years.

With five classes out of the way, it was time to choose their sixth and final one. With the EP&E intro and core classes all taken care of for now, they decided to look ahead and pick a class that would fulfill one of the four classes they would need for their own personal areas of concentration they had already chosen. Since both had chose topics that dealt with bioethics, they searched to find a class that would be germane to it, and they literall found one right next door. One of the college seminars that Trumbull College was offering was CCTC 290, a course titled 'Should Man Try to Play God?'. It appeared to be a philosophical discussion of what lines man should never cross even if they have discovered the technology to do so. Both Cody and Bailey thought it sounded fascinating, and it fit their schedule just right. It would meet on Friday mornings from 9:00-11:00. Not only would it be their only class on Fridays, but since it was in neighboring Trumbull College, they could get to it via the underground tunnels between the two colleges without ever having to go outside.

Overall, they were extremely happy with their schedules. They had no more than two classes on any day, and only one on Fridays. Plus, they were done by 12:15 PM everyday but Monday and Wednesday, so that left them three complete afternoons a week to do their homework and readings. That would give them Sundays to continue to study for the MCAT. And even better, when it came time for finals, only two of their classes had scheduled final exams, and both of them would be very early in exam week.

"Cody, isn't it amazing how well our schedules have turned out for us our first five semesters?"

He nodded. "I know. Its almost like we have someone watching out for us and making sure everything fits just perfectly."

__Boston__

While Cody and Bailey were entering their first week of classes, Zack and Maya were enjoying their last week of freedom. While they would also get Labor Day off, it was tempered by the fact that they would begin school the next day. So like the 4th of July, any celebration they decided to partake in would have to be cut short early so they could both be up early the next morning. Of course, what had happened to them a few weeks earlier was still on both of their minds. But after discussing it maturely, they decided not to make a bigger deal of it than was necessary. Still, it did give Zack an idea.

"You know, Maya, if the dorms get chaotic for you, I hope you know you are always welcome to crash here."

Maya smiled at him. "Zack, I love you, and I appreciate the offer. And maybe I will some nights, but I know I'll once again have a class at 8:00 AM three days a week. While the idea of staying with you is s very appealing one to me, it would just make sense for me to already be on campus that early in the morning."

He nodded. "That does make sense."

"And I know on Fridays you will have an early morning class. I hope you know if it was my call, you could stay with me and already be on campus yourself..."

"But your new warden would have a big problem with that, and I don't want to get you in any trouble..."

She smiled again. "I appreciate that. Plus, there is the little fact that I live in an all girls dorm. I don't think the other residents would care for you joining them in the communal shower room..."

Zack just grinned at her. "You never know..."

Maya cut him off. "Alright...I know I definitely wouldn't like it!"

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know. I was just teasing you." He paused and teased her again. "But don't blame me if I have that thought running through my head the rest of the day. After all, you did put it there..."

"Zack!"

He laughed. "I'm just kidding, Maya. Yeah, the old Zack would have thought of that non-stop."

"And the new one?"

He paused. "Hold on a second..." He closed his eyes and just grinned for about thirty seconds. "Alright, I'm done..."

She just shook her head and laughed. "What am I going to do with you?"

Speaking of their schedules, Zack's was relatively speaking not too rough. Since he had finished the prerequisite class for his minor over the summer, he could begin taking the remaining four classes to complete it. First up would be SMG AC 221, Financial Accounting on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00-3:30. The previous spring, he had taken Financial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry, so he figured he would be ahead of the curve. In addition to that, he would be taking SHA HF 310, Managerial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00-3:30. And with those two classes potentially being extremely time consuming, he went easy with his other two classes and decided to knock out some hospitality electives. The first being SHA HF 322, Hospitality Facilities Design, on Friday afternoons from 2:00-5:00. His final class would only be a two credit course to give him a total of 14 credits for the semester. It was SHA, HF 295, Private Club Management, on Friday mornings from 9:30-11:30. Zack figured he had past experience running one with the teen club he and Cody had opened when they had lived at the Tipton when they were younger.

Naturally, this left him Monday through Thursday mornings for him to work. And by working 8:00 to 12:00 everyday, he would still be working sixteen hours a week. Of course, Moseby reminded him that he should be using his free afternoons to be studying for the GMAT as well. In fact, Moseby asked him if had had signed up for it yet. Zack just shook his head, and Moseby just sighed. So, Moseby decided he was going to watch Zack do it himself to make sure that it got done. Zackjust shrugged and figured he'd choose the same date that Cody and Bailey were taking the MCAT. At least he wouldn't be the only one miserable that day - he hoped.

As for Maya, she was once again taking five classes so she could try to graduate a semester early. And like she had told Zack, she did indeed have early morning classes again. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00-9:00, she would have SAR AT 355, Foundations of Athletic Training. Following it on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30-11:00, she would knock out her final humanities requirement with CAS WS 114, Women, Society and Culture: Humanities. And on Friday morning from 9:30-11:00, she would have SAR AT 304, Athletic Training Practicum II. That left those afternoons free for her to teach her swimming lessons at the fit&rec center.

Her Tuesdays and Thursdays were a little busier. From 9:30-11:00, she had SAR HP 412, Abnormal Behavior in Rehabilitation. Then, she would have a break until 2:00 both days. Her fifth and final class was SAR HS 342 Exercise Physiology. The lecture would be on Tuesdays from 2:00-5:00 with the lab on Thursdays from 2:00-4:00.

And both were quite happy with their schedules. On Mondays and Wednesdays, they could meet for lunch on campus before Zack headed to class and Maya to work. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they could have lunch before both headed to class. And on Fridays, they could have lunch together after their morning classes.

On the Sunday night before their first full week of classes was to begin, they were in Zack's suite having a study date as they both did their homework for the next day. At one point, Zack paused and looked up.

"So...this is what a real study date is like, huh?"

Maya gave him a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

"You know, a date where the focus is spending time together while actually studying. This is my first real one..."

"It is?"

Zack paused. "Well, I've had dates that I've called study dates, but studying was the furthest thing from my mind..."

She just gave him a look. "Oh really?"

His eyes went wide as he realized he shared information he shouldn't have. So, he stammered trying to cover for himself. "But this is so, so much better. And that was the old Zack, not the new, improved one..."

"Uh huh..."

"Its true! I really mean that, Baby!"

Maya smiled at him. "I know. I was just teasing you. I owed you some payback from that shower thing last week..."

Zack just looked at her in surprise and admiration. "Well played. But I do mean its so much better. I guess I can finally see why my brother and soon to be sister-in-law to be enjoy them so much. Its being responsible, but we can still spend quality time together. But, when the studying is done..."

"I know. Can you imagine if we had done things like this in high school?"

Zack paused before laughing. "My transcripts would have been much better. And the only person who would have been happier about that than me would have been Cody..."

__New Haven__

That next Friday morning about 11:15, Cody and Bailey returned back from their first, last and only class of the day. They had gotten to Cody's floor and we're walking down the hall towards his room.

"You know, Bails...I think I'm really going to love our Fridays..."

She grinned. "Tell me about it. We have time to go do our Biochemistry lab report before grabbing lunch and then all afternoon to do our reading for our other classes. I think we make that a permanent addition to our routine this semester."

"Sounds good to me. And just think. Our reading week will begin so much earlier than anyone else's. Especially if our seminar professor is serious about canceling class the week before reading week to let everyone begin studying early."

"I know. I..." But before Bailey could continue her though, they both heard a whistle and voice come from behind them.

"Well, well...What do we have here? Hot stuff on the hallway!"

Both just turned to see a guy grinning at them. Bailey was taken aback, but Cody just sighed. "Hey Paul..." He turned to Bailey. "Sweetie, that's Paul. He's Kyle's new roommate this semester and our new neighbor..."

The Paul guy just kept grinning. "Sweetie? Don't tell me a total babe like you is actually with a guy like Cody..."

Bailey just glared at him. "Yeah, I am. In fact, we're engaged..." She turned back to Cody. "You know what? Why don't I head up to my room to switch out books in my backpack. Come up and get me once you've done the same, and we'll head over to the library."

Paul laughed. "No need to leave on my account. You can stay down here as long as you like..."

She rolled her eyes. "No thanks." She turned and was about to head towards the stairwell when she paused. She leaned in and gave Cody a very passionate kiss. "See you in a few minutes, okay?"

Cody was rendered speechless by that kiss and could only nod his assent. Paul just gave Bailey a look. "Do I get one too?"

She just glared at him again, but he continued before she could say something. "You know what? Maybe I should escort you up to your room personally? This isn't a safe place for pretty girls like you..."

Bailey shuddered before turning and heading for the stairwell. She didn't feel like dignifying anything he had said with a response. Paul made a step in her direction before he noticed Cody step in front of him giving him a look himself. "Don't even think about it!"

Paul just held up his hands and grinned. "Hey...she's yours. I can respect that..." And with that, he slipped back into his room. Cody just stared at Paul's door and shook his head.

Ten minutes later, Cody knocked on the door to Bailey's room. She checked the peephole first to make sure it was him before opening the door.

"That cretin didn't follow you up here, did he?"

"No, I took the long way to get here. No chance he could have followed me. I headed down to the third floor and then double back up the second stairwell."

She sighed. "What was up with that guy? He was seriously giving me the creeps..."

Cody shook his head. "I don't know. I liked Kyle's old roommate much, much better, but he graduated. But he says this new guy Paul is a real piece of work. According to Kyle, Paul thinks he is God's gift to women and is constantly boasting about his..." He used air quotes. "...success with the ladies."

Bailey paused. "Well, based on meeting him for a few minutes, all I can say is that he comes off as a Grade A jerk. Cody, why do guys have to be like that? Why can't more of them be nice guys like you or Tapeworm?"

"I don't know, Sweetie." He paused and laughed. "Maybe he's trying to overcompensate for a shortcoming he has somewhere else..."

She laughed too. "That might explain it..."

"But from our little encounter with him, he does remind me of an old Zack on steroids..."

"Yeah, a pre-Maya Zack. I'm so glad he's finally grown up some."

"Me too, Bails. Me too. And I'm hoping this Paul guys is all bark and no bite. But, if he ever tries to bother you or Gertie, please tell me or Tapeworm. I won't put up with anyone disrespecting my fiancee. If they try, they'll have to deal with me..."

Bailey smiled at him. "I know you won't, just like I won't either. Hopefully, if we just ignore him, he'll get the idea to not bother. Besides, we both know how I deal with people who really get on my wrong side."

Cody smiled back at her. "Oh, trust me, I know. Lets forget about him though. We have work to do. And I'd like for us to finish early enough to allow me to take you out on a date tonight."

"Is that so?" She grinned and teased him. "You mean this ring on my finger isn't going to stop you from romancing me..."

Cody leaned in and kissed her. "Never!"

__Boston__

On that same Friday, Zack got out of his Hospitality Facilities Design class a little after five o'clock. And as the building his class was in was right across the street from the fit&rec center, he headed over to see if he could find Maya. Crossing the street, he walked inside and pretty much ignored the new girl working the front desk. Making his way to the aquatic center, he could see through a window that Maya was still in the process of teaching a class of what Zack guessed were kindergarteners. And from the looks of it, this was the last class of the day as there was no one else in the pool area. But Zack couldn't help but just smile. While Maya was wearing a conservative one piece swimsuit that could be considered an aquatard, she still looked amazing in it. If fact, he was so engrossed in watching her, that he didn't notice someone walk up behind him.

"Can I help you, young man?"

Zack was broken out of his gaze and turned to see an older woman giving him a suspicious look. He just smiled though. "No thank you. I'm just here waiting for my girlfriend to finish teaching her last class of the afternoon."

The woman paused and looked through the window. "Is your girlfriend Maya?"

"Yeah, that's her. I just got out of class and stopped by to see what she wanted to get into tonight. I hope its okay for me just to wait for her here."

"Yeah, of course. I'm just a little surprised though. I didn't know she had a boyfriend. I mean I shouldn't be because my employees personal lives are just that and I never ask, but..."

Zack just looked at her. "But what?"

"Well, I know my nephew had taken quite an interest in her himself. Just last week he asked me if it was against the rules if he were to ask her out. I just hope he doesn't take the fact that she already has a boyfriend too badly..."

"Your nephew is Bruno, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he is."

"No offense, ma'am, but he's known for months now that Maya and I are a couple. So, I don't think it will come as any surprise to him. In fact, it hasn't stopped him from trying to flirt with her even though its obvious to everyone that it makes her uncomfortable..."

The woman gasped. "I had no idea about any of that..."

Zack paused realizing he might have just overstepped his boundaries. But, he had already come this far, so he continued on. "Well, Maya is afraid of saying anything for fear of causing trouble around here. She really does enjoy her job."

"What kind of trouble? She's one of the best instructors I have. All of the kids love her."

"No offense, but he is your nephew. If it was a he said/she said kind of thing, you would naturally be more inclined to take his side."

She paused to consider that. "How can you be sure he is still chasing after her?"

Zack paused himself as he noticed something across the way. "I may be mistaken, but isn't that your nephew standing in the window across the way and staring intently at what's going on in the pool area?"

She turned, and her eyes went wide as she saw him too. "Yeah...that's Bruno. What in the world is he doing?"

"Well, either he is spying on a female co-worker or he is a pedophile. Either way, what he's doing is completely unacceptable to me..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Okay, its good to be back on a regular posting schedule again. It is kind of weird though - with the tourney know over, I'm not sure what to do with myself now. I mean, in the past two days, I've watched One Shining Moment close to 50 times and spent money on numerous new t-shirts. I guess baseball starts tonight, but the Cubs are in a rebuilding year. Oh well. At least spring is here, and Keeneland will be opening soon.**


	6. Just When You Thought It Was Safe

_Episode 6_

_"Just When You Thought It Was Safe"_

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

Once Maya's last class of the day ended and all of the kids headed to the locker rooms to change, she began straightening up the pool area of everything she had used in her class. In twenty minutes, the pool was scheduled to reopen for other users, so it needed to be in pristine condition for them. And as she was cleaning up, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping and shrieking in surprise, she turned around to find Zack standing there smiling at her.

"Its just me, Babe..."

She began patting her chest. "Zack? You scared me half to death!"

He just kept smiling though. "Sorry about that."

Maya took a deep breath to calm herself. "Its alright. Next time, just tell me you're here so I don't have a heart attack before I turn 20..."

"Well, we definitely don't want that. I mean - why would I want to deprive myself of the view I saw. I watched you through the window teaching your class, and I've never wanted to be five years old again so much in my whole life..."

She smiled at him. "Thank you...I think, but I prefer you just the way you are. Besides, these aquatards they make us wear aren't the most flattering things in the world..."

Zack looked her up and down. "Yeah, right...I had to pick my tongue up off the floor when I first saw you in it..."

Maya blushed a little but kept smiling. "Zack..."

"Its true..." He paused. "Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one taking the moment to check you out. I saw the old muscle for brains staring at you from a window across the way..."

She sighed. "Great...There have been times where I felt like I've been watched before, but I wasn't for sure. I guess I was right after all..."

He smiled again. "But I wouldn't worry about that anymore if I were you. I don't think he'll be doing anything like that ever again. In fact, I have a hunch that Bruno won't be bothering you any more period."

"That would be nice, but how can you be so sure..."

Zack just grinned. "Oh...I have my ways."

She just looked at him. "What did you do, Zack?"

"Me? Nothing. But your boss snuck up behind me and began grilling me as to why I was here and what I was doing. I guess she thought I was some kind of pervert or something, so I wasn't too offended. Anyways, when I explained that I was your boyfriend, she was a little confused. Seems ol' Bruno was telling her some lies about you and making up stories. He actually asked her if it was okay to ask you out even though he knew all about me. Well, as we were talking, I happened to glance over and saw him spying on you again. I pointed it out to her and mentioned other things you told me had done. Well, hearing all of that and catching him in the act, she stormed over to confront him. I couldn't hear what was said exactly, but I did see her grab his ear and drag him away as she yelled at him..."

Maya sighed. "Zack, I truly do appreciate you standing up for me like that. I'm just afraid it could completely backfire on me. I just hope it doesn't cause any problems around here. I really do like this job..."

"I think the only one in trouble around here is Bruno. His aunt had nothing bet the best things to say about you and how invaluable you are around this place."

She looked at him in surprise. "Really? She said that?"

Zack grinned. "Really. I told her that as good of an instructor you were that you were an even better girlfriend. I did refrain from mentioning the private lessons and mouth to mouth you gave me though..."

Maya smiled. "Thanks, Babe. I appreciate that. And you're a pretty great boyfriend yourself." She took a deep breath. "How about I go change and we'll get out of here?"

He looked her up and down one more time. "Do you have to?"

She just began laughing. "You're incorrigible." She leaned in and kissed him. "But keep saying things like that to me, and I won't try to stop you..."

"Good. Oh, and call it a hunch, but I don't think you'll have any problems getting spring break off from work now. Something tells me they might be very willing to work with you now as they probably think they have something to make up to you for. Plus, with ol' Bruno caught red handed, their probably afraid of you suing them or something."

"Well, I wouldn't do that, but I won't turn down any extra perks." She winked at him. "And if you like this thing, just wait to you see the bikini I'll have for spring break..." And with that, Maya headed off for the locker room.

Zack swallowed as he watched her walk away. "I don't care what I have to do...Nothing will stop me from making sure we have the best spring break ever!"

__New Haven__

That evening, while Cody and Bailey were out having a date night together, Gertie and Tapeworm were just hanging around his room taking it easy. After a little while, Tapeworm turned to his girlfriend.

"So, not that I'm complaining about what we're doing, but was there anything else you wanted to do tonight?"

Gertie paused. "You know. I don't feel like doing much of anything tonight at all. I know its Friday night, but I spent all afternoon talking with my architecture adviser, and it was a complete and exhausting pain in the butt. Would it be okay if we just hung around here and did nothing tonight?"

Tapeworm smiled. "So sitting back and channel surfing?"

She smiled back. "That would be great."

"How about I head across the street and pick us up a pie then? If we're going to bum around, we might as well do this right."

"Sounds perfect to me. You're the best, Dennis..."

He teased her. "Well, I gotta do something to keep you hanging around me..."

She teased him right back. "Just keep doing what you're doing, and you'll have no worries about that..."

Tapeworm pulled out his phone to order in the pizza, and when he was done, he checked the fridge in the room and frowned. "The new drinks I put in earlier this afternoon aren't cold yet, and bottled water just doesn't go well with pizza. I'll stop at the store too and grab us some cold drinks while I'm out."

Gertie shook her head. "Nope, you leave that to me. Getting us some drinks is the least I can do. I'll head over to Durfee and grab us something for dessert too. So, you go grab the pizza, and I'll take care of the rest."

He grinned. "I know what I want for dessert..." He leaned in and kissed her. "More of that sweetness..."

She laughed. "We'll see. But I do love the way you think..."

"Works for me..." Tapeworm dug into his pocket and handed her his keys. "Here, you'll probably be back before I will. And after what Cody and Bailey told us earlier about that creep neighbor of ours, I don't want you having to wait out in the hallway anymore than you have too..."

She kissed his cheek. "Good idea. Thank you, Dennis. See you in a few minutes."

Gertie headed downstairs, and fifteen minutes later, she was back on the guy's floor carrying a bag from the campus store. As she found the key to the guys' room to unlock it, she heard someone whistling behind her. Turning, she saw a guy leering at her.

"Well, well...we've got all kinds of hotties on the hallway today. Must be my lucky day..."

Figuring it was Paul, she decided to ignore him. Gertie just turned back to the door and finished unlocking it.

But he was not to be deterred. "What? Do we have a shy one here?"

Gertie sighed before turning and smirking at him. "No, but I have no interest in talking to you. I've already heard all about you, Paul. Besides, I already have a boyfriend I care about a great deal. So, save your mindless flirting and other cheap pick up lines on someone who cares or is stupid enough to believe them..."

Paul laughed. "You must be dating the tall geek then. What is it with the two guys who live there? Both of them have total babes for girlfriends. Are they both loaded or something?"

She rolled her eyes. "No...both Dennis and Cody are really great guys who know how to treat women right. They're both kind and friendly, and neither are jerks. Must be why they are both so well liked around here. Maybe there's a lesson there for you...you know, something you should think about..."

"Why should I? Girls are like buses. If you miss one, another one will be along in a few minutes. And why would I want to act like a goody goody? That's no fun, and besides, most girls like the mysterious bad boy anyways..."

Gertie laughed. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. But don't be surprised when you find out its not true..." And with that, Gertie headed into the room and locked the door behind her. About five minutes later, Tapeworm returned and was surprised that the door was locked. He knocked on the door, and Gertie checked the peephole before opening it. And immediately, Tapeworm could see Gertie had an upset look on her face.

"Everything okay?"

She sighed. "On my way back to your room, I had the misfortune of meeting your new neighbor, Paul, that Bailey and Cody had told us about..."

Tapeworm frowned. "Did he say or do something to bother you?"

Gertie shook her head. "Other than be a complete and total jerk, not really. Nothing I shouldn't have seen coming anyways..." She walked up to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

He just held her close. "For what?"

"For not being anything like him. Bailey was right, he seriously gave me the creeps. You should have heard the opinion he has of women..."

He pulled back and looked at her. "Listen to me. If he does anything like that again, tell me, and I'll have a word with him. I don't want you to have to worry about things like that. I may not be the most imposing person in the world, but no one upsets you and gets away with it with me around..."

She smiled at him. "I appreciate the sentiment, but lets just forget about him. I refuse to let him ruin our evening. I mean we have a hot pizza, cold drinks and remote control itching to be used. What more could we ask for?"

_Boston_

After changing back into her regular clothes, Maya found Zack waiting for her out by the front door. They were about to head outside when Zack stopped them, and he just had a huge grin on his face.

"What?"

"Seeing you earlier distracted me, and I forgot to mention to you that I have a surprise for you tonight..."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"I may have gotten my hands on a couple of tickets for us to see the Sox play tonight..."

She smiled. "That's great. I..." She paused. "Wait a minute. Aren't they playing the Rays tonight?"

He grinned even wider. "Exactly! With the Yankees and Rays in a first place tie and the Sox a couple of games back, I can't see you actively rooting for the Rays tonight." He grinned. "In fact, I might actually get to see you rooting for the Red Sox for the first time ever!"

Maya shuddered. "That would feel soooo wrong and dirty to do that. Can't I root for both teams to lose?"

Zack laughed. "Hey, remember I bought you that Manning jersey. You want to talk about something feeling wrong and dirty to do? That took the cake. Besides, if that didn't kill me, I don't think rooting for the Sox once will kill you either..."

"Well, I suppose you're right. And it is a beautiful night for a ball game..."

"So, does that mean you're game...for the game?"

She smiled. "I suppose so. How did you get tickets anyways?"

He shrugged. "London gave them to me. She gets her father's seats when he's not in town, and she and Todd have some kind of gala opening to go to tonight. So, she asked me if I wanted them."

Maya just looked at him. "Mr. Tipton's seats? Okay, these I have to see! I can't imagine how good they are..."

"Tell me about it. I wish she had mentioned she had these back when I was younger. Cody and I would have been all over them. If they are as good as I think they'll be, I wouldn't have cared if Moseby had to go with us..."

"Yeah, I remember you telling me about that game he took you both too."

He just looked at her. "Don't get any ideas about trying to do the same thing to cost the Sox a game..."

Maya laughed. "I won't. But Zack, don't think that this will in any way try to sway me away from being a Yankee fan."

"A guy can dream, can't he?"

"Well, in this case, that guy can keep dreaming. Cody may be converting Bailey, but you have absolutely no chance here. I'm a Yankee gal and always will be - I'll never be a Sox fan!"

Zack just smiled. "Never say never..."

_New Haven_

About eleven o'clock that night, Cody and Bailey returned back to their dorm after a nice romantic dinner and long walk around campus. And when they walked into Cody's room, they found Tapeworm and Gertie lounging around watching TV with an empty pizza box on the table in front of them.

Bailey smiled. "I see you guys have had a rough night..."

Gertie laughed. "Oh, you know it. How about you guys?"

"Dinner was good, and we had a wonderful time just strolling through campus enjoying the beautiful weather. On the way back though, we noticed that the local theater is showing _The Rocky Horror Picture Show _at midnight. I've heard how crazy those can get, so I'm trying to talk Cody into going to see it. I figure its one of those things you have to see once to actually believe."

"Yeah, I've heard about that too but never saw it either. And I've heard its something everyone should experience once in their lives. Would you guys mind if we tagged along with you?"

Tapeworm perked up at hearing that. "Huh? You really want to go see that movie?"

Gertie smiled at him. "Uh huh. You wouldn't mind going to see it with me, would you?"

He sighed. "Well, I guess not...but don't expect me to dress up for it!"

Cody spoke up. "I told Bailey the exact same thing..."

Bailey just turned and winked at him. "Which is ironic knowing your past history of dressing up in women's clothing..."

He looked back at her. "Really? You want to go there...Mr. Pickett?"

She laughed. "Touche...Anyways, it should be a lot of fun."

Gertie stood up. "Yeah, it should. I just need to go change into something to head out in. Pajama pants, while I'd probably fit right in, aren't my idea of going out attire." She paused. "I just hope I can head up to our room and back without running into the guy's new neighbor, Paul..."

Bailey shuddered. "I take it you ran into him too, huh?"

"Yeah, and you were absolutely right. He's a grade A creep. I hate to say it, but I hope he runs into a woman who has less self restraint than I do. He could stand to be taught a lesson or two..."

"He'll get no sympathy from me if he does. Actually, I might be leading the cheers if it ever happened..." Bailey was about to say something else when her phone began vibrating. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw it was her mother calling. Quickly, she turned to Cody. "Mind if I use your room real quick? Its Momma..."

He smiled at her. "Go for it. I'll just watch the Sox game out here while you do."

Gertie spoke up. "And Tapeworm and I'll will get changed while you're on the phone..."

Bailey stepped into Cody's room before hitting the talk button on her phone.

"Momma? You're calling kind of late. Is everything okay at home?"

_Eunice laughed. "Yeah, everything is fine, Honey. Actually, I'm calling because things are going great around here. We just found out some really big news tonight..."_

"Yeah? What's that?"

_"Well, you remember how your sister, Amy, took the SAT test this June while you were here over Father's Day?"_

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, I helped her study for it. What about it?"

"_Well, turns out you and her are an awful lot alike in one way in particular. She nailed that test too..."_

"Tell her I said congratulations then. That's impressive considering she's only starting her junior year of high school..." Bailey paused as something else crossed her mind. "Did she do better on the SAT than I did?"

_"Honey, I honestly don't know, but you both absolutely destroyed it.__ Anyways, the thing is she is starting to get letters from some of the big schools up around you guys like Yale, Brown and Harvard. In fact, those letters coming in is how we learned about all of this in the first place. Well, tonight, we all sat around the kitchen table and talked about what it could mean. Amy really wants to go away to school like you did, so she really wants to check them out to see if she likes them. So...I was wondering..."_

Bailey smiled. "Amy is more than welcome to stay with me while she checks out Yale. I'm almost positive Gertie won't mind us having a guest for a couple of days either."

_Eunice sighed in relief. "Thank you, Honey. I know she was really bummed out that Seven Seas High shut down before she got a chance to go herself. I appreciate you being willing to help out here."_

"Not a problem. In fact, I have a better idea. If she's agreeable to it and you all don't mind, why doesn't she come up right before Thanksgiving? We can show her around Yale, and she can sit in on our Friday class to get an idea about they are like up here. And then she can ride with us back to Boston. We can go through Providence on the way so she can see Brown, and then she can see Harvard while in Boston over break. And Amy can join us for Thanksgiving there at the Tipton too. It will be nice to have some family around, and she can finally get to meet some of the people I've told you all so much about."

"_Sounds like a wonderful idea to me, Bailey. You sure Cody won't mind cooking for one more?"_

Bailey laughed. "I'm positive. Besides Amy being his future sister-in-law, he always cooks way too much food as it is."

"_Good. I'll tell Amy the plan then. I just know she'll be thrilled!"_

"Well, once she knows more about when she'll get here, just let me know. Cody and I will pick her up at the airport ourselves."

"_Will do. Alright, I'll let you get back to whatever it is you were doing. Tell Cody we all said hello and hope all is well with him too. Goodnight, Bailey."_

Bailey ended the call and walked back into the guys' common room where Cody was sitting on the futon watching the Red Sox game.

He just shook his head. "You know, Bails...I could have swore I just saw Zack and Maya sitting right behind home plate..."

"Yeah? Who's winning anyways?"

Cody shook his head again. "No one yet. Its the bottom of the ninth. If the Sox don't score here, we're looking at extra innings..." He shrugged. "Anyways, is everything okay back in Kettlecorn?"

She smiled. "Actually it is, but I need you to do me a few favors..."

"Just name them..."

_Boston_

Zack and Maya joined the remaining fans walking out of Fenway Park about 2:30 Saturday morning. But while everyone was tired, they were almost all in good spirits as the Red Sox had pulled out a victory in the bottom of the 23rd inning.

Zack let out a tired laugh. "Look at it this way. We got to basically see two and a half games for the price of one..."

Maya shook her head. "Which wouldn't have been bad if there had been any offense whatsoever for the last fifteen innings. I swear I think they were going to start asking fans in the stands to come down and pitch."

"And I would have jumped at the chance!"

"I know you would have. And you would be joining your brother in the ranks of people having surgery, only yours would have been of the Tommy John variety" She smiled at him. "But I have to admit. Of all possible outcomes, this works out the best for my Yankees. Not only did the Rays lose, but both teams' pitching staffs are now completely worn out. Odds are both teams could drop the next several games, and the Yankees' lead will only grow."

Zack tried to shush her. "Don't say that too loudly! You are in a crowd of Sox fans after all..."

She laughed again. "You know what's really crazy? I'm a New York sports fan, but I generally like the city of Boston. Its seems so close together. Just look at BU. A couple of blocks one way is Harvard. A couple of blocks the other way is Northeastern. New York is just so spread out with Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. Each one of the boroughs seems like a whole different world unto itself..."

He laughed. "Yeah, well you haven't been to Southie here in Boston yet. Its like a completely different place. If you want to hear some real Boston accents, go there. Its where the letter 'R' goes to die..."

"No thanks. I just know the words 'wicked awesome' will never come out of my mouth..." She yawned. "But I am glad its now the weekend. Getting up for class...later this morning would completely suck."

"Or to go to work." He paused. "Why don't you just come back to the Tipton tonight? We'll sleep in, grab some lunch and head over to the park afterwards to enjoy one of the last days of semi-warm weather we'll have left."

Maya paused to consider that. "You know. That does sound like a good idea..." She teased him. "It has been a while since I beat you in some hoops. I'll just need to stop by my dorm room to pack a small bag."

So, they left Fenway and headed back to Maya's dorm. Unfortunately, as soon as they walked in, Zack was prevented from going anywhere further than the lobby by the rather large security guard standing there blocking his path.

"No males beyond this point after midnight."

Zack just looked at the guy, and decided not to mess with him. This guy didn't look like one he could sweet talk like he could have with Kirby. Maya just smiled though.

"Don't worry, Rosie, he'll wait right here." She turned to Zack. "I'll be back in five to ten minutes tops."

Maya quickly headed up the stairs to her floor and down the hallway to her room. And just as she was about to open the door, she heard a voice behind her.

"About time you got back to your room!"

Maya turned and gasped as she saw a very angry Bruno glaring at her.

__New Haven__

Walking back from the movie theater, Cody, Bailey, Gertie and Tapeworm were all laughing at the absurdity of what they had just experienced. And Bailey couldn't help but to tease Cody.

"I think I have an idea for our Halloween costumes this year. We just need to find you some fishnet stockings."

Cody just looked at her before shaking his head. "Uh uh. Nope. Not gonna happen. The idea is to scare people not scar them for life!"

She laughed. "Awww..."

He leaned in and whispered to her. "Now, if we could get some for you..."

Bailey playfully slapped his shoulder as she continued laughing. However, all laughter stopped once they got back to their dorm. Outside of the entrance were two campus police cars with their lights flashing. And standing at the front door was an officer. When they approached the door, he stopped them all from entering.

"Sorry folks. No entrance here."

"But we live here..."

He paused and pulled out a clipboard with a list on it. "Names?"

Once all four of them gave their names and showed their student IDs, the officer checked them all off. "Alright, can you all verify your whereabouts for the past two hours?"

The four of them all looked at each other. "Yeah, we were at the midnight movie down the street. We can show you our ticket stubs to prove it."

"Lets see them."

And once they presented them, he scribbled down some notes on the list. Tapeworm finally spoke up. "Can you tell us what's going on here?"

He looked up at them. "Somebody dressed all in black with a ski mask broke into a young woman's room and tried to assault her this evening..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: I'm having basketball withdrawals this weekend. Shouldn't there be more games on to watch? Oh well, at least there is the Masters. Happy Easter everyone.**__  
><em>_


	7. Roid Rage

_Episode 7_

__"Roid Rage"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

Maya just looked at Bruno and saw him glaring at her with absolute hatred in his eyes. Seeing his look, she felt herself beginning to panic while at the same time trying to figure out what she should do. Briefly, she thought about trying to make a run for it, but she realized that if she made a move, odds are he would be able catch her. So, she realized her only hope was to try to keep him talking until she could figure out a better plan. Maya rationed that even if she couldn't talk him down somehow, maybe she would at least speak loudly enough to draw the attention of one of the other girls on her floor.

"Bruno...what are you doing here? Guys aren't allowed up here this time of night. If you want to talk, maybe we can do so in the morning..."

He continued to glare at her. "Like I care about that right now! I hope you and your little wimp are happy with yourselves. Thanks to you two, my aunt fired me from my job this afternoon!"

Maya swallowed back her fear. "We did no such thing. If you got fired, it wasn't because of anything we did. Neither Zack nor I forced you to spy on me or lie about me or do the other creepy things you've done. Maybe you should take a look in a mirror, and then you'll see who's fault it was that you got fired!"

Bruno just laughed. "Yeah, right. All I ever was was nice to you, and this is the thanks I get..."

"I never asked you to do that though. And I made it perfectly clear to you back in May that Zack was my boyfriend. And even before that, I never did anything to give you the impression I was interested in you at all. Face it, every day hundreds or thousands of people get shot down by someone who has no interest in them."

He erupted. "You would have been mine eventually if that shrimp hadn't come along!"

Maya shook her head. "No, I wouldn't have. My heart belongs to Zack and has for a long time. He's the only guy I want."

Bruno paused as an evil grin spread out on his lips. "Well, that's just too bad...Because you're going to be my girl now whether you like it or not!"

"No, I won't!"

"Oh...yes, you will. Even if I have to get rid of that Zack guy once and for all, you will be mine. So, you better learn to get used to it, Maya..." He reached out to grab her arm.

When saw him began to do that, Maya did the only thing she could think of to do. She screamed as loud as she could.

_New Haven_

Cody, Bailey, Gertie and Tapeworm's eyes all went wide as they just looked at each other again. Someone had been attacked in their dorm that night? The place they felt as their home away from home? Hearing that made them all shudder, but they had to know more.

Cody spoke up. "Is she...is she okay?"

The police officer nodded. "Yeah. She screamed, and the assailant freaked out and ran off. I guess he figured someone would hear what was going on and catch him."

"So, you're saying he wasn't caught and is still out there somewhere?"

"Unfortunately, the perpetrator is still currently at large. No one has seen anyone dressed like that try to leave the dorm. And with all of the underground tunnels that come in and out of this place, there is no way to know where he came in from or escaped to. Someone even thinks it was a prank gone awry. Supposedly, Berkeley College has some big rivals in Trumbull and Calhoun Colleges. But, we have people over there questioning them to see if their residents know anything about it. Anyways, don't worry. We're on top of this, and we'll figure out who is responsible. Since its late, you all should head on up to your rooms." He paused and looked at the ladies. "But to be on the safe side, I would recommend you two ladies make sure your door is locked securely tonight."

The four just nodded and made their way inside, but they were all still a little shocked at what they just found out. And when they got up to the girl's floor, everyone was relieved to see that their door showed no signs of being tampered with. But that wasn't good enough to satisfy the guys.

Tapeworm turned to Gertie and Bailey. "I'm sure Cody will agree with me, but I would feel a lot better if you two stayed down in our room tonight. That way, we won't be constantly worried if this guy decided to try anything else tonight."

Cody nodded. "I agree 100%. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to either of you..."

Bailey and Gertie just looked at each other and nodded rather quickly. Both of them were a little freaked out and scared. And while Bailey was planning on staying with Cody that night anyways, she definitely didn't want to leave Gertie all alone in their room that night. And as Gertie was beginning to really get freaked out, she was grateful for her boyfriend's offer.

"Thanks guys. I think we'll take you up on your suggestion."

Tapeworm smiled at her. "Good. Unlock the door, and Cody and I will give it a quick sweep to make sure everything is as it should be. Then you two can change while we wait outside."

That's what they did, and the room was indeed clear. Once the girls changed into their pajamas, all four of them headed downstairs to the guys' room. Once they got there, they guys double checked the lock on their door before Cody and Bailey retired into Cody's room. When they were alone in the common room, Tapeworm rubbed his hands up and down Gertie's arms.

"You'll be safe in here. I won't let anything happen to you."

She looked up at him and smiled. "I know. I believe you."

He smiled back. "Just give me a minute to change, and I'll let you have my room tonight. I'll sleep out here on the futon. That way, anyone will have to go through me first to get to you."

Gertie leaned up and kissed him. "I appreciate the offer. But I think I'd much prefer you be in your bed...along side of me. I'd feel much safer knowing you were right there with me."

Tapeworm just looked at her a little surprised. "You sure about that?"

"Positive." She smiled. "Now hurry up and go change. I'm getting really tired."

He just grinned back. "Yes, ma'am."

__Boston__

Zack was just standing in the lobby waiting for Maya while the mountain sized security guard just kept an eye on him. But when Zack heard a scream, he immediately knew it was Maya's voice. So without a moment of hesitation, he sprinted towards the stairwell past Rosie and took steps two at a time to get there even faster. And when he reached Maya's floor, he saw Bruno grabbing Maya's wrist. Seeing that, his rage grew, and Zack began sprinting down the hallway.

"Get your hands off of her!"

Bruno turned to see Zack coming straight at him. In a split second, the threw Maya down to the ground behind him and braced himself for whatever Zack was going to do. But when Zack saw Maya was now free from him, he shouted again.

"Maya, run!"

Unfortunately, she was still too stunned to move a muscle. And by the time Zack got near Bruno, Bruno was in a fighting stance waiting for him.

"Bring it on, little man! I'll crush you like a bug." He laughed. "I should warn you that I'm a brown belt in karate. So, this is going to be fun..."

Zack threw on his brakes, and he finally stopped a few feet from Bruno and assessed his situation. If what he had said was true, Zack was in a lot of trouble. He was hoping that since Bruno was so big, Zack's quickness might be his only advantage. But if that was negated...Zack just swallowed.

"Whatever, Dude...I can't say I'm too scared of you. I mean...what kind of a real man picks on people smaller than themselves?"

"I'll show you what kind of a real man I am!"

Bruno pulled back his fist to launch his attack, but before he could, Zack saw his eyes go wide as he fell to his knees with his hands going towards his crotch. And when he went down, he could see Maya was standing again holding her knee and wincing.

"Maya? Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. Well, my knee stings a little bit, but that's worth it so I could knee him in the..."

"Yeah, I saw that. Remind me to never get on your bad side. Are you sure you're alright though?"

"Positive. But I think we should get out of here ASAP before he gets back up..."

He nodded quickly. "Good call. Lets go!"

But it was too late as Bruno was back on his feet again. And if it was possible, he looked even angrier.

"You little bitch! You're going to pay for that! You just signed both of your death certificates with that little stunt you just pulled." He paused and his evil grin returned. "Now, who do I take care of first. The bitch and make her little man watch her get hurt or him and make her watch her hero get destroyed."

Bruno was about to make a move towards them when he felt himself being lifted off of the ground. The next thing he knew, he was being slammed into the wall. Once he could focus again, Bruno could see a very large man staring daggers at him as he held him by the back of his shirt.

"My responsibility is to protect the ladies of this dorm. You will do nothing to harm them or their guests. But don't worry, campus police has been called, and they will soon be here to escort you to your accommodations for the foreseeable future." He grinned. "And here's a lesson for you. No matter how big and bad you think you are, there is always someone out there is who is bigger and badder." And with that, Rosie slammed Bruno's head into the wall again which knocked him out cold.

Maya sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you're here, Rosie."

The security guard turned to her and smiled. "My pleasure, Maya. Why don't you head on into your room and catch your breath? I'm sure the police will want your statement once they get here." He turned to Zack. "You take care of her, and I'll overlook just this once that you are up here after hours."

Zack just nodded. "I will. And thank you."

Rosie just nodded and began carrying Bruno away like he was a rag doll. Maya opened the door to her room, and Zack followed her inside. And once again, he had to check.

"Are you positive you are alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." She paused and smiled. "Thanks for coming to my aide."

"Well, I heard you scream and I reacted. But Rosie deserves all the credit. I'm not sure I could done anything against Bruno. I think we both just experienced roid rage up close and personal."

Maya kept smiling. "I think you're right. But that fact remains you were going to try to do something, and that means the world to me." She leaned in and kissed him. "Bruno was right about one thing - you are my hero."

Zack actually blushed. "Well...you know. I was the only one of the three of us that didn't get a shot in on him..."

"Maybe not. But that doesn't matter in the least."

While they waited, Maya went ahead and packed a bag to take with her. And within ten minutes, the campus police did show up to get both her and Zack's statements. It was close to four in the morning when they were finally allowed to leave, and one of the officers even gave them a lift back to the Tipton in his cruiser so they could put an end to their night. The officer said they would be in touch later that morning so Maya could press formal charges against Bruno.

As Zack and Maya walked into the front door of Tipton, Zack just shook his head and laughed.

"You know, people have been telling me for years that the police will eventually bring me home one day. Just never imagined it would be like this..."

__New Haven__

The next morning, everyone slept in a little bit, but they were all still up in time to have brunch. When they headed downstairs, it was obvious to everyone the security in the dorm had been beefed up after the events of the previous evening. And naturally, everyone was still on high alert themselves. After brunch, Cody and Tapeworm walked Bailey and Gertie back to their room before they told them they had an errand to run and would be back in an hour. After they had been gone for a little while, Gertie turned to Bailey.

"Did Cody mention to you what this errand was?"

Bailey shook her head. "Not a word. I'm assuming Tapeworm didn't either."

"No. I just wonder what those two are up to..."

A half of an hour later, they both got their answer. When Bailey opened the door, Cody and Tapeworm walked in carrying large brown paper bags.

"Ladies, Cody and I were talking, and we decided we'd feel a whole lot better if you two had some more security up here." He reached into the bags and pulled out two chain door locks. "We got you each one of these to put on your bedroom doors"

Cody reached into his sack and pulled out a box. "As for your door out into the hallway, we got this. Its a wireless sensor alarm. It has two remotes key chain fobs so you can both turn it on after you leave or turn it off before you open the door. We asked, and if this is tripped, it will make a sound loud enough to wake the dead."

Tapeworm reached into his bag again. "Beyond that, we wanted you to have something to use to defend yourselves whether you were here or out and about. We each got you a small key chain that is attached to a small canister of mace. And we got you three larger canisters of it for your room – one for each of your bedrooms and one for the common room."

Bailey looked at Cody and laughed. "What? No bear repellent?"

Cody just gave her a look before continuing. "And in addition to those, we got you each a very large and heavy flashlight. In addition to giving you a light source in case of a power outage, both will make good weapons if you need them."

Bailey stopped laughing. "Sorry. But don't you guys think all of this is a little...much?"

Cody shook his head. "Bails, when it comes to your safety, there will never be a 'little much' to me."

She nodded as she felt a little bad for joking about it earlier. "I guess I can understand that."

"And in addition, I'm going to teach you both a self defense move I learned years ago that will leave your assailant incapacitated long enough for you to safely escape. And Tapeworm and I have agreed to be your test subjects so that you both know how to do it properly."

Bailey smiled again and turned to Gertie. "Now, this might be fun and useful to remember for later."

Gertie laughed too. "Tell me about it."

But when both looked back at their boyfriends, they could tell neither one of them thought any of this was funny.

"Sorry guys. We know you both only did all of this because you care about us. And believe me, we really do appreciate you guys doing all of this. I don't know about Bailey, but I definitely will feel safer will everything you bought."

Tapeworm nodded. "Its okay." He turned to Cody. "Head downstairs to get your tool box. We have work to do."

Cody grinned. "Finally...another chance to use it!"

A couple of hours later, everything had been set up, and the instructions for everything had been read. And once it was, it was teaching time. Another hour later, Bailey and Gertie were just laughing and shaking their heads at seeing both of their boyfriends sprawled out on the floor.

"You know what, Bailey...we're both pretty lucky. How many other girls have boyfriends who would do all of this for them?"

Bailey nodded and smiled. "I know. How about we thank them and take them out to dinner later? You know...once they regain consciousness..."

__Boston__

Turns out Zack had been completely correct. While in custody, a sample of Bruno's urine and blood had been taken, and the police discovered he was on a whole slew of PEDs including steroids. It truly was a case of roid rage to the extreme, and Bruno was going to get the book thrown at him. It would be several years before he saw the outside world. And in response to what had happened, BU expelled him from school and prohibited him from coming anywhere near the campus. And of course, a restraining order was placed on him forbidding him from going anywhere near Maya or Zack.

His aunt was beside herself with guilt and regret, but Maya just told her it wasn't her fault and that she held no responsibility for what Bruno had done. His aunt had even offered to resign her position, but Maya wouldn't hear of it. Of course, her lingering guilt did lead to some unofficial perks for Maya including preference in scheduling and time off. More than anything though, Maya just wanted to try to forget about it and have her life return back to normal.

So, time continued to pass, and the end of September brought something else into Zack and Maya's lives – they were no longer going to be teenagers. By the end of the month, both of them would officially be 20 years old. And Maya couldn't help from teasing Zack.

"Only one more year before you can pull another stunt like you did at Yale..."

He sighed. "No thank you. Once was enough for me." He paused. "Not that I won't take a drink now and then, but I have no desire to be that sick ever again...especially if I have to drive somewhere the next day."

She smiled. "Well, I got you something this year I thought you might be able to really use..." Maya handed Zack a package and he grinned as he ripped into it. But when he saw what was inside, the smile left his face.

"A study guide for the GMAT..."

"Well, you are taking it in January. I figured this would help you begin to prepare."

Zack nodded and sighed. "You're right. I should start to do that..." He shook his head and smiled. "Tomorrow. Tonight is still my birthday!"

As the calendar turned to October, Maya was well past what had happened to her. But to be on the safe side, and with the university's full backing and funding, she was enrolled in a self defense/martial arts course at a center near campus. And she was able to convince them to foot the bill to enroll Zack too as he had also been threatened by Bruno. So, on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings from 6:00-7:30, they were going to have even more classes.

One day, as they were leaving to go grab some dinner, Zack couldn't help but laugh.

"Just wait till I show Cody what I can do now. What I know will put that one little stupid move of his to shame..."

Maya just shook her head. "Zack, we aren't taking this class so you can torment your brother. Its so we'll be better prepared in case we need to protect ourselves in the future."

"I know. Could still be fun though..."

"Aren't you the one who told me he's been working out for the past year? He might not be the pushover you still think he would be. And that's not even taking into account Bailey's reaction if you did anything..."

He sighed. "Good point. I'm not the only one with a girlfriend that you don't want to get on their bad side..."

She smiled. "Besides. We have something else to start thinking about – Halloween."

"Yeah, I guess that is coming up in a few weeks. Wonder if there will be anything fun going on that night?"

"I'm sure we'll find something to do. And this year, I want us to dress up for it..."

Zack paused as he remembered Cody having to wear tights their freshmen years. "I might agree to that, but I would want veto power over any ideas you have. I have no desire to spend the night in tights!"

Maya just looked at him and began laughing. "Alright..."

"I mean it. Bailey made Cody goes as Robin Hood, and he had spend all night showing off his skinny legs. No thank you."

Maya paused and a smile formed on her face. "I think I have the perfect idea. And I promise you...you won't be wearing anything skin tight..."

He paused and smiled. "Sounds good...will you though?"

__New Haven__

Time passed on in New Haven as well. For the next several weeks, there was a heightened security around campus and particularly Berkeley Hall. But in that same time period, the campus police were no closer to finding out who had committed the assault. No other attacks had occurred, and by then, the police believed the most likely scenario was an unfunny prank by a rival college. Gradually, the amount of extra security around the building began to wane.

But that didn't drop the level of diligence with the ladies. Everyday when they left for class, they would set the motion alarm on their door. And every night...that they actually stayed in their rooms...they would activate the alarm as well as use the chain locks on their bedroom doors. Beyond that though, life returned pretty much back to normal as they thought the police might be correct in their assessment. So, they all continued going to classes, writing papers and taking exams like they ordinarily would do.

And like in Boston, there was a celebration at the end of September. Bailey, Gertie and Tapeworm all took Cody out to celebrate his birthday. And like Maya, Bailey couldn't help but to tease the man she loved.

"You know...its nice that I'm no longer dating a teenager..."

Cody just shook his head. "Ten months a year, its no big deal. But those two months where you are a year older than I am, you never let me forget it."

Bailey just grinned. "I know. And next year, even though I won't need it, I'll have a guaranteed DD for those two months..."

He just gave her a look and teased her back. "Alright. The night of your birthday, we'll go out, and you can go wild. I'm sure your family would LOVE to see that..."

"Touche, Sweetie..." She leaned in and kissed him. "I just like teasing you about the fact that I'm older. Age doesn't make one iota of difference in how much I love you."

"Me too, Boo Boo. I won't be a big deal when you turn 30 or even 40 before I do..."

That caused him to get a look from her. But all in all, the birthday celebration was fun. And soon, the calendar flipped over to October. And to those at Yale, it meant the countdown to fall break had begun. Everyone was looking forward to having those three days off to do whatever they wanted. But for Cody and Bailey, those would be three days to get ahead in their school work and study more for the MCAT. Before they got to that though, there were other things to do.

For starters, Cody and Bailey had to help the two time defending champion Berkeley Ping Pong Team defend their titles. New teams inside the college tried to dethrone them for a spot on the team, but all failed. And this year, Gertie and Tapeworm actually won the spot as Berkeley's number two mixed doubles team in regular tennis. And it just so happened that on a Friday afternoon, both couples had a match. The tennis one would be first, but both couples decided to go support the other. Cody and Bailey met Tapeworm and Gertie back at the dorm when they got out of class and everyone headed up to change into their athletic uniforms.

Gertie and Bailey were the first ones back down in the lobby and had to wait on the guys. And while they had a minute alone, Gertie turned to Bailey.

"Have you come up with Halloween costumes yet?"

Bailey shook her head. "Not yet. A few ideas, but nothing that has really stood out so far."

Gertie laughed. "Well, I had a dream last night that was kind of funny. Since we kind of resemble them, Dennis and I were Fred and Wilma and you and Cody were Betty and Barney..."

Bailey laughed too. "I can definitely see that. But I'm not sure how much I'd like to wear that kind of costume considering the crowd that party gets."

Gertie paused. "Good point. Scratch that idea."

Bailey paused and grinned. "Though...I think I have another idea of a foursome we could go as that we could pull off pretty easily too."

"Yeah? What?"

And when Bailey told her, Gertie began laughing so hard, she was almost crying. "I think that's perfect! We'll have to make some calls when we get back."

"I hope at least one of them is to me..."

Both Bailey and Gertie turned to find Paul standing there grinning at them both, and both just rolled her eyes.

"We wouldn't call you if we were on fire and you had the only fire extinguisher in the building!"

He laughed. "Good one. But you'll come around. No woman can resist the Paulmeister..."

Bailey just gave him a look. "Really? You're ripping of the _American Pie_ movies? How lame..."

"Not as lame as your two boyfriends. But don't worry, when you do finally realize how pathetic they are and drop them, I'll still be around..."

That raised Bailey's ire. "Even on his worst day, Cody will still be ten times the man you are on your best. If you as me, the only one around here who is pathetic is you!"

Paul just laughed. "Whatever..." And with that he walked off.

Bailey was fuming. "I wish someone would teach him a lesson. I think its an insult to Cody and Tapeworm to lump them into the same gender as him! Paul is the kind of guy like that that it wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out was..." She paused and her eyes went wide in realization. "...the guy responsible for the attack here in the dorm..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: And they say the college basketball season is over. Not a chance! UK just got a commitment from the #1 player in the 2012 class today! Anyways, back to the story. Season 3 is all written, and I just finished Chapter 22 of Season 4 tonight. I would be done with Season 4, but I went back and rewrote a good part of it as I wasn't happy with it. So, all I can say is Season 4 will bring the return of some beloved characters...and one not so beloved one.**__  
><em>_


	8. Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

_Episode 8_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

As soon as the words had come out of her mouth, Bailey immediately realized that she might be on to something. And she wasn't the only one. Gertie just looked at her with wide eyes and slowly nodding her head in agreement. Had they just solved the mystery that even the campus police seemed to have given up on? Had they been overlooking the most obvious answer which had been staring them in the face the whole time. Bailey felt like kicking herself as she realized she had completely ignored Occam's razor - the principle that said all things considered, the simplest explanation was likely the correct one. She just shook her head.

"Why did I not connect the dots beforehand?"

Gertie shrugged. "Don't feel bad. Until you just mentioned it, it hadn't dawned on me either that it could have been Paul behind the attach. But it does seem to fit perfect. Bailey...Do you think its really possible? Have we really solved this case?"

Bailey shook her head. "I don't know, but I do agree that it does make the most sense. I mean...no girl in her right mind would give him the time of day, so that has to be a major blow to his mega ego. I'm no psych major or anything, but I'm thinking that constant rejection could cause him to finally snap. Maybe the girl who got attacked was the last one who turned him down, and in his warped way of thinking, she was his natural first target?"

Gertie nodded as she considered that. "You could be right about that too. Should we tell someone like Master Chun of our suspicions and hypothesis?"

After pausing to think again, Bailey sighed. "Unfortunately, we can't. Like you said, all we have right now is a theory. Without any actual evidence, we'd be no better than those crackpot conspiracy theorists who constantly blog on the internet. You know, like the ones who claim 9/11 was an inside job by the American government." She shook her head again. "Besides, this country is still based on innocent until proven guilty...despite what some loudmouths on TV would like us to believe."

"What should we do then?"

Bailey paused again before a smile slowly formed on her face. "Simple. We get us some evidence. Gertie...how would you feel about us setting a trap to see if Paul is who we think he is?"

"I'd be all for it. What do you have in mind?"

"I have an idea, but it would involve us using ourselves as the bait for it..."

Gertie just looked at her. "I'm still listening."

Bailey pulled her in close and whispered her idea. And when she was done, Gertie just looked at her again before smiling herself.

"I like it, but you know as well as I do that Dennis and Cody will flip their lids if we tell them that idea. You remember how serious they got when they explained to us what they had bought and turned our room into a impenetrable fortress."

"Don't worry. I wouldn't dream of going through with this plan without getting them on board first."

"Oh yeah? And just how do you suggest we go about doing that? You know as well as I do that they are going to say no as soon as we get it out of our mouths..."

Bailey grinned. "Gertie, Gertie, Gertie...Ye of little faith. We'll just have to...convince them that this is the right thing to do. You and I both know that if we butter them up that they'll be like putty in our hands. But we'd never manipulate them for a selfish purpose. We're doing this for the good of security on campus. And we're doing it so that that jerk will never bother another girl ever again..."

"I hope you're right..."

And as soon as they guys got downstairs and the four began walking towards the tennis courts, the ladies started the process of getting the guys on board. They began with buttering up the guys before dropping the bomb of what their idea was. And like Gertie had foreseen, Cody and Tapeworm were immediately and totally against the idea. No matter what else the girls tried to convince them to change their minds, the guys were staying firm. And that's when Bailey and Gertie moved on to Plan B. Essentially, they told them they were going through the plan either with them or without them. It would be their choice whether they joined them or not. Hearing that and fearing the worst, the guys reluctantly agreed to help.

The next several weeks passed which included fall break. When they resumed classes after it, they had another week until the plan was to go into motion as the ladies has chosen the night of the Mortician's Ball to be the night it would go down. Since Halloween was on a Thursday, the big Mortician's Ball would be the following Friday. Which that actually worked out for the best since Halloween was also Gertie and Tapeworm's first anniversary, so they went out on Thursday night to celebrate it by themselves.

Friday night finally arrived, and the guys and the girls were all getting ready in their respective rooms for the party. And when Cody and Tapeworm came out of their respective rooms, both just stopped dead in their tracks when they saw each other and began laughing hysterically.

"Wow...should I call you Fred or Freddie Prinze, Jr.? Because you look just like them both!"

Cody looked down at what he was wearing and sighed. The blue pants, the white long sleeved top with a blue collar, and the part he hated the worst – the orange ascot tied around his neck. "Don't remind me. Bailey could have gone for the modern version of Fred, but I think she chose the old school version of his outfit on purpose..." He paused and looked back at Tapeworm. "Oh, by the way, nice bell bottoms, Shaggy...and you have some dirt on your chin you need to wipe off."

Likewise, Tapeworm looked down at his costume. Yes, he was wearing brown bell bottoms with a green v-neck t-shirt. And then there was the fake scruff he had glued on to his chin. "I know. Why did we let them talk us into dressing like this again?"

Cody sighed again. "Because they could. The same way they talked us into going along with their idea. Face it man, we're both whipped."

Tapeworm paused before nodding. "Yeah, you're right. But look at it this way - I've experienced being whipped by a girl I care about versus being alone. I like this a whole lot better."

Cody laughed. "Yeah, I guess its not so bad. I mean, at least they didn't rent a psychedelic van or borrow us a great dane that we had to keep up with all night..." He paused and grinned. "Plus, this means we have to start planning now on how we're going to get back at them next year for this. It will be our senior years. We have to come up with something really, really good!"

About that time, there was a knock at their door. Cody answered it, and Bailey and Gertie walked in dressed in their own costumes. Gertie had her hair up, her old glasses on sans frames, a oversized orange sweater, a red skirt, orange knee high socks and red shoes. Bailey had on a purple dress with lavender trim, lavender stockings, purple shoes, and a purple scarf around her neck. And when they saw the guys, they both started laughing uncontrollably too.

"Looking good, guys..."

Tapeworm smiled and looked Gertie up and down. "Well, all I can say is...Zoinks!"

Gertie laughed. "Well, I'll match your Zoinks with a Jinkies!"

He laughed. "Have any Scooby Snacks for me?"

She leaned in and kissed him. "No, but will that do?"

Tapeworm just grinned. "Uh huh..."

Cody gave Bailey the once over too as she twirled around for him. "Looking good, Bails. Now, I would call you Daphne, but you do have a sister by the same name, and it could get a little weird."

She laughed. "Understood. And if I may say, you're looking pretty good yourself, Fred Bear."

He smiled before a thought struck him. "I do have a question though. Shouldn't our costumes be reversed?"

Hearing that, Bailey just gave him a look. "Trying to tell me you want to wear a dress for the third time?"

He shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean Daphne was always the danger prone and clumsy one and..." He gestured to himself. "...and, well, I'm me."

She laughed again. "I got you now, but I think we're fine just the way we are."

Gertie looked over at them. "You guys ready to head out?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah. Come on gang, lets go." She paused and laughed again. "We can split up later..." And as they left, Bailey teasingly reached down and gave Cody a pat on his butt and whispered in his hear. "Nice as...cot."

_Boston_

The rest of October passed by in Boston as well. And on the Thursday that was the actual date of Halloween, Zack was busy finishing up his morning's work when he got a buzz over his phone intercom.

"Zack, I need to see you in my office before you leave for class today."

Zack pressed the talk button. "Sure thing, Moseby." He unpressed the button and groaned. "What did I do now?"

And before he left for the day, Zack made his way to Moseby's office. Once his boss waved him in, Zack sat down in his usual chair and tried to ready himself to defend whatever it was he supposedly did.

"So, Moseby...what's up? What did I do now?"

"Zack, your GMAT is in a little over two months. How much have you begun preparing for it?"

Zack paused. "Well...Maya bought be a study guide for my birthday, and I've been...looking through it."

Moseby just looked at him before shaking his head. "Kind of what I thought." He picked up an envelope off of his desk and handed it to Zack. "You're going to need this..."

Zack took it and looked at it. "What is it?"

"You've been signed up for an eight week prep course beginning next Monday evening. The course is on BU's campus, so you'll already be there for it. For three hours an evening on Mondays for seven weeks, you'll be learning test tips and what to look for. And then on the Monday before Christmas, you'll be taking a practice test is the same surroundings you'll be taking the real one."

He slumped back into his chair and hung his head. "Moseby..."

"You actually want to get into grad school, don't you?"

"Of course I do, it's just..."

"Then this will help you do that then. Besides, one night a week won't kill you..."

"I know, but this will be yet another class I have to take..."

Moseby just looked at him again. "Oh please! Those self defense classes you're in are basically date nights with Maya. They're no different than the cat grooming classes Emma and I take..."

Zack paused for a second before busting out laughing. "Cat grooming classes? Oh wow...I used to think Cody was the most whipped man alive, but I think you just topped him with that!"

"Ha ha. Zack, every man in a serious relationship is whipped to a certain degree."

"Not me!"

Moseby just grinned. "Oh really? I do believe I heard that Maya was choosing your costume to wear tomorrow night and you still have no idea what it is. Zack...most people consider that being whipped."

Zack just looked at him, but more so, he was beginning to really get worried about what Maya did have planned for the next night. And when he saw Maya later for lunch, she still refused to tell him what their costumes were going to be. All she said was they would be a matching set. In fact, Zack still had no idea what he was in for until Maya showed up at his suite the next evening holding two large garment bags. One of the student organizations on campus was holding a Halloween party at a local 18 and over club that they decided didn't sound too bad.

Maya smiled at him and handed him a bag. "You go change in your room, and I'll change in Cody's. And I've already called him to make sure it was alright for me to use it..."

With trepidation, Zack took the bag from her as they headed to the two bedrooms. Forty five minutes later, Maya was knocking on Zack's bedroom door.

"Are you about ready in there?"

Zack shouted back. "I guess, but there is no way I am going out in public dressed like this!"

She laughed. "Why not? You have before!"

He opened the door and walked out dressed like Ronald McDonald. "Yeah, but that was different...I was Zacko the Clown then..."

Maya kept laughing. "But you look adorable. Besides, what's the difference? They were both clowns..."

Zack was about to continue arguing when he noticed how Maya was dressed. She had on a white dress with a blue top on underneath it with here head braided into two pigtails off to each side. "You're going as Wendy? I don't think I've ever wanted a double cheeseburger more in my life than I do right now..."

She smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment..."

"It was. You look amazing." He paused and grinned. "Of course, if you had gone dressed up like Kate Upton from the Hardees (or Carl Jr's for those in the west) commercial, I wouldn't have minded either..."

Maya just gave him a look. "I don't think so. She once dated Mark Sanchez. No self respecting Giants fan would dress up like her!"

Zack laughed. "Well, if I wasn't dressed like this, I'd be proud to be seen with you on my arm dressed as either."

"Well, I'm proud to be seen with you anyway you look." She grabbed his arm and began dragging him out of the suite. "Come on. Lets go."

Zack just sighed. "Well, I guess I can't get mad if someone asks who the clown is you're dancing with tonight..."

_New Haven_

By ten o'clock that evening, the Mortician's Ball was in once again in full swing. And like years past, Yale students were using it as an excuse to forget their studies for one night and dress up and act stupid. Well, most of them were anyways. Cody and Bailey just spent the majority of the evening on the dance floor with each other enjoying each other's company. Every so often, some drunk idiot would come up to them and make a joke about their costumes, but they tried to ignore them. After a while, they finally took a break to get a bottle of water, and then they headed out on to the patio so they could finally hear each over the music.

Cody paused. "You ever wonder why we keep coming back to this every year?"

Bailey smiled. "Because its a tradition around here. Besides, it has turned out to be very lucky for some people. Take our roommates for example. Two years ago, they first met here, and last year, it was here that they finally revealed themselves to each other and got together as a couple."

"True. And I am glad for the positive effect its had for them." He paused and smiled too. "I just never realized that campus traditions were so important to you though."

"Well, we want to get the full Yale experience while were here don't we?"

He laughed. "So, does that mean you'll be participating in the streak through Old Campus the night before The Game this year?"

She shook her head and laughed. "I don't think so. The only time I go streaking is when its just you and me alone together..."

"Yeah, same here..." Cody paused and grinned. "You up for for a couple of laps around the room later tonight?"

"We'll see. Remember, once we leave here, our night isn't over yet..."

He sighed. "Don't remind me. For the record, I still don't like this plan at all. What if something goes wrong and one of you gets hurt?"

She leaned in and kissed him. "Sweetie, we won't. We have all of our bases covered. Our plan is fool proof."

"Bails, there is no such thing as a fool proof plan..."

Bailey smiled at him. "I remember a plan of yours that lasted six months that worked our pretty perfectly..."

Cody laughed. "Hardly. Do I need to remind you about Galapagos Gertie or the International Dateline or that dating survey fiasco again? And lets not forget how I failed every which way possible to get you tickets for that concert. It still amazes me after after everything kept falling apart on me that it all somehow worked..."

"There might have been a few speed bumps, but it did all work out in the end."

"That's what I'm afraid of here – the speed bumps. Bailey, I don't know what I'd do if something ever happened to you."

She smiled again. "Cody, nothing will go wrong. I appreciate your concern about my welfare though. But like I've said before, you're going to be stuck with me for the rest of our lives. I'm not going anywhere." She checked her watch. "Strike that. Its almost midnight. I think its time we go and put our plan into motion."

Cody just reluctantly nodded. They headed back inside to find Gertie and Tapeworm, and when they saw them across the room, they gave them a nod. Both understood that to be the signal to get the show on the road. All four of them made their exit from the party and began the walk back to Berkeley College. And when they got to the guys' floor, Bailey and Gertie just smiled to see that the door to Paul's room was cracked opened a little. It was time for action.

Bailey shook her head and blinked her eyes. "Sweetheart, I don't feel so good right now. I think that punch I had tonight was made a little extra strong this year..."

"Are you sure, Bails?"

"Yeah. I can't seem to focus my eyes, and all I feel like doing right now is to go pass out in my bed."

Gertie heard her cue and spoke up too. "Same here. They should have put a warning by that punch bowl."

"Well, if you two ladies are sure..."

"We are. I think we'll feel much better in the morning. See you two then for brunch?"

Cody nodded. "Alright, Sweetheart." He faked a yawn. "I'm feeling kind of beat too." He kissed Bailey. "I'll see you in the morning. Love you."

"Love you too."

The girls walked on to the stairwell as Cody and Tapeworm headed inside their room. And once inside, both just nodded at each other and Tapeworm opened up his laptop. In a matter of seconds, a feed showing the hallway outside their room was on the screen.

Cody whispered. "You sure no one will notice the tiny camera you put on the doorknob?"

Tapeworm grinned and whispered back. "Positive. Now all we do is watch and wait."

_Boston_

Zack and Maya had headed out to the 18 and over club, and despite feeling kind of like an idiot in his costume, Zack had to admit he was having fun. He and Maya danced the night away – well as much as he could with a clown costume and big floppy shoes on. And when they went to a table to catch their breath, they were surprised when two people dressed like Frankenstein and his bride sat down next to them.

"Zack? Is that you under that make up and red hair?"

He squinted his eyes so he can see, and he began to laugh. "Amanda? Nice hair yourself..."

"At least I'm not wearing red and white striped socks..." She laughed too. "So, where is Grimace?"

He shrugged. "No clue. This wasn't my idea." He nodded towards Maya. "Someone else here picked out my costume for me."

Amanda turned her attention to Maya. "Maya. Nice to see you again."

Maya nodded. "Likewise, Amanda. I take it this is your boyfriend with the bolts sticking out of his neck?"

"Yeah, that's Jake. I must say I'm kind of surprised to see you two out tonight. I hardly ever see either of you on campus these days."

Zack shrugged. "Well, probably because the school of management and school of hospitality administration are on opposite ends of the campus."

"True. So...how are things going between the two of you nowadays?"

Zack smiled. "Well, other than making me dress like a clown again, they're going very well. What can I say? I'm really happy."

Maya smiled at him. "Me too." She paused this time. "And between the two of you?"

"We're doing good. We decided to keep the past in the past and let it stay there. We're focusing on the present and future now."

Jake finally spoke up. "And Zack...I owe you a big thank you. I know the first time we met was...well...extremely awkward, but I appreciate you being such a good friend to Amanda. After my stupidity, she needed one. I'm glad she had such an honorable guy like you to be there for her."

Zack laughed. "Me honorable? That's a first..."

Everyone laughed too, but Maya spoke up too. "And I should be thanking you too, Amanda. You were there for Zack when I wasn't. You helped get him out of the funk that I caused, and I'm grateful for that. I don't plan on ever doing anything stupid like that again, but if I do, I ask that you kick my butt because I'll deserve it."

Amanda nodded. "Oh, don't worry, I will." She smiled. "But you keep making my boy happy, and we won't have to worry about that at all."

Maya smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"So, how come you two aren't out dancing?"

"We're taking a break." Zack laughed. "Every song, Maya keeps stepping on my feet."

"Well, I wouldn't it your shoes weren't over a foot and a half long!"

He just looked at her. "You picked my costume. That means you don't get to complain about it." He laughed. "You should have seen the looks I got on the subway when I got on...well, from the people who weren't drooling over Maya."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Oh please."

Zack yawned. "Besides, I'm getting kind of worn out from dancing anyways. Guess I'm getting old in my later years."

"Yeah, I kind of tired too."

Amanda checked her watch. "Well, it is past one. We probably should be calling it a night too. I can't wait to get out of this get up either..."

Everyone bid each other a goodnight before Zack and Maya made their way to the subway stop down the street from the club. Finally, their train heading back towards the Tipton arrived, and they stepped on to it. Unfortunately for Zack, there was only one open seat, so he he let Maya have it. So, he stood there holding on to one of the poles for support.

And as the train pulled away from the station, Zack looked out the door of the car and he found himself looking at an old gypsy woman. Zack could have sworn it was the same one from the year before, and she she just smiled and winked at him as the subway began moving out of the station. He could only stand there with his mouth open in shock as she slowly moved out of his vision.

_New Haven_

Cody and Tapeworm just continued to watch the monitor, but nothing was happening. They were about to call Bailey and Gertie to call the whole thing off when the door to Paul's room slowly opened. And both of their eyes went open in surprise when they saw a figure dressed in black with a black ski mask slip out of the room and check to make sure the hallway was clear.

"They were right..."

Cody was seething. "I say we go out there right now and bust him!"

Tapeworm held him back. "We can't do that just yet."

"Why not?"

"Think about it. Tonight's the big Halloween party. If we go out there and stop him, he'll just claim that was his Halloween costume. While that choice in costumes would be in bad taste, its not evidence of any crime."

Cody sighed. "You're right." He pulled out his phone and texted Bailey and Gertie that the fox had left his den. And when they had made sure the masked figure had entered the stairwell, Tapeworm and Cody slipped out of their room to follow him.

One floor up, the lights in Bailey and Gertie's dorm room were all out. Slowly, someone tried to open the door. And when it was shown to be locked, a new noise was heard. A few seconds later, the door slowly opened and a dark masked figure slipped in to the room. Slowly, he crept towards Bailey's door and tried to open it. And when it opened, he slipped inside the room. Again, very slowly, he crept towards Bailey's bed. He pulled back the covers, and reached down to try to put his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. But when all he felt were pillows, he was in disbelief.

"What the hell?"

From behind him, he heard a voice. "Looking for something...or someone?"

The masked figure turned to find himself staring directly into a bright flashlight.

"You think you're so smart, don't you? Well, I have a surprise for you!"

The next thing the masked figure heard was a hissing sound before he felt his eyes beginning to tear up and burn. He dropped to his knees screaming that his eyes were on fire. And as he did that, he didn't even notice that the lights had been turned on and two people were rushing at him to tackle and throw him to the floorr. Quickly, Cody and Tapeworm held him down with his hands behind his back. Cody looked up at Bailey.

"Alright, Bails...do your thing!"

And in a flash, Bailey grabbed some rope she had placed in the corner and had the masked figured hog tied in a matter of seconds.

"And...done!"

Cody looked up at her. "Are you alright, Sweetie?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. This cretin never new what hit him. I told you this plan would work."

Gertie spoke up. "And I just called campus security, so they should be here soon to take this jerk away."

Cody looked down at the guy who was still crying about his eyes burning. "Keep on whining, punk. You're actually getting off lucky. If you had laid one finger on Bailey, you wouldn't be alive right now!"

With his face buried in the floor, all they could hear was a muffled voice. "Let me go! I'll never do anything like this again!"

Cody shook his head before looking at the other three. "Well, gang...should we unmask this guy and show the whole world who he really is?"

Everyone nodded as Cody ripped the mask off of him. But when he did, everyone's eyes went wide in surprise. It wasn't Paul.

"Kyle?"

Instead of Paul, it was his seemingly meek roommate instead. He glared at them with tears still running down his face. "And I would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been you meddling kids!"

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Some have asked me why I don't post more often since I have so much already done. Its a fair question, but I do have several reasons why I only post twice a week. One, real world obligations don't give me as much time as I previously had. Two, I like to give myself distance from the chapter. I like to have at least a month go by from when I write the first draft of a chapter go by before I look at it for the second time. Of course, if anyone read a first draft of mine, you'd wonder if I had ever taken an English class before in my life - they are that bad. Plus, the time apart allows me to change things due to recent events or popular culture. For example, in this chapter, I originally had Zack and Maya's costumes different. But that stupid commercial is on 24/7, and I couldn't get away from it. (By the way, that burger isn't that good). Finally, I like to hold off in posting things so I don't handcuff myself. As I write later chapters, I may get an idea for them that would either not flow with or directly conflict with something earlier. So, by holding off, I have a chance to go back and change those so that they do flow much better.**__  
><em>_


	9. Sisters

_Episode 9_

_"Sisters"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

Within a few minutes, the campus police arrived to take Kyle into custody. And by Monday morning, his arrest and the details of it had spread all around campus, and its aftermath left serious implications for the university. Almost as soon as he was taken to the campus police station and subjected to good cop/bad cop interrogation, Kyle began singing like a bird. He admitted that he had always been painfully shy around girls and could never muster the courage to actually speak to them. And he admitted that he felt jealousy and resentment towards Cody and Tapeworm as he saw them as guys much like him who had managed to get girlfriends way out of their leagues. When Bailey and Gertie heard that statement, they both took great offense to it.

"How dare he say something like that?"

Cody shrugged and laughed. "Doesn't bother me any now nor when Woody said the same thing several years ago. I mean...its true after all."

Tapeworm nodded his agreement. "Same here. I fully acknowledge that I out kicked my coverage."

Both of their girlfriends just glared at them before the guys covered. "I mean...we both know how lucky we are to have you two in our lives. You two are total packages, and we're just us - regular guys. Its like I said before Bails, there is no way I could ever find anybody better or more perfect for me than you."

Bailey shook her head. "I completely disagree with us being out of your leagues. I said the exact same thing to Gertie before she and Tapeworm finally got together. You two should have more self confidence in yourselves..."

Cody just smiled. "Oh, I do. You give it to me, Sweetie."

Tapeworm piped in. "But it doesn't change the fact that we know you both could do much, much better than us. Rather, we take it as an honor and a challenge to strive to be worthy of you two..."

The two ladies just looked at each other and shook their heads again. "Men..."

But Kyle's confession revealed even more. He admitted he never would have considered doing anything until Paul was assigned as his roommate. Paul's constant bragging about his exploits and the way he talked to girls really got to him and under his skin. And that's when he got the idea that he could do what he did and have the suspicion be put on his roommate. He thought he would only do it once, get it out of his system and never do it again. But when he got away with it the first time, he began to feel a little cocky. When he heard what Bailey and Gertie had said out in the hallway about both feeling drunk, he couldn't resist and fell directly into their trap. Kyle actually asked for the chance to apologize to the girls in person for his actions, but they flat out refused. Naturally, Yale expelled him for violations of the honor code, but that really didn't matter much. After all, he was looking at several felonies and a long stay in a Connecticut state prison.

An added bonus was that Kyle's arrest did lead to everyone seeing the last of Paul as well. The week after everything went down, Master Chun held essentially a town hall meeting for all of the residents of Berkeley College in the dining hall so they could discuss what had happened. As Paul sat there and listened, he was completely taken by surprise that Bailey and Gertie had intended to catch him in their trap. And if that wasn't enough for him, he soon realized that they weren't the only ones in Berkeley College who had suspicions about him being the perpetrator. Rather, close to all of the female residents in the college admitted that the thought that he was behind the attacks had crossed their minds and had discussed it with their friends. That was a real blow to Paul's ego that people would actually think he was capable of something like that. But it did answer several questions he had. For one, he now knew why almost every coed in the dorm had completely ignored him since the first attack. And it also explained to him why no one wanted to sit with him in the dining hall or wanted him in their study groups. As the meeting went on, he slowly came to the realization that his behavior had created an almost universally held perception of him that no amount of good PR would be able to undo. While he wasn't guilty of the assaults, his fellow classmates had already convicted him as a jerk. And when several girls still asked if there was anything that could be done to keep creeps like him from bothering them in the future, Paul knew his future at Yale would be a lonely one if he stayed. So, he decided to finish out the semester and transfer afterwards for a fresh start.

For their roles in bringing down the Berkeley Stalker, Bailey and Gertie were big campus celebrities for a little while. Every feminist group on campus pleaded with them to join their groups or at least speak at a meeting, but the ladies declined all offers. Of course, a couple of groups rescinded offers once they learned they both had boyfriends and that Bailey was engaged. Instead, the ladies just wanted things to go back to the way they were before everything happened. However, they did accept the chance to speak in front of the Yale Board of Trustees and encouraged them to beef up security on campus. The school felt extremely fortunate that no one had gotten hurt this time, but they didn't want to risk that again in the future. Besides, now that they had notice of the areas they were lacking in, they could be hammered the next time something happened. Needless to say, all the residential colleges were soon scheduling the installation of dead bolt locks to all the doors on the girl's floors. And like campus politics seem to go, when a few men's groups on campus heard about that, they threatened to sue on the grounds of discrimination if the same wasn't done for the guy's floors. Yale didn't feel like arguing the point and just gave in and agreed.

As for life around campus, Bailey and Gertie had gained reputations as people not to mess with or take lightly. Cody and Tapeworm just laughed and said they could have told them that beforehand. While their temporary fame did bring them some unwanted attention from some guys on campus who wanted to try to latch on to their celebrity, both made it clear they were both already taken. Most accepted that, but some had to be given a serious glare and threats of castration before they backed off. Fortunately, a week later, another campus scandal involving a professor and a student in an inappropriate relationship erupted and the Berkeley Stalker incident became back page news. And that was just fine with everyone involved. After all, they only had three weeks of school left before Thanksgiving break.

And for Cody and Bailey, that was going to be a very busy three weeks. Beyond exams in Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, they had projects or papers due in all three of their seminar classes. Fortunately for them, since October had begun, they had used their afternoons off extremely wisely and worked ahead. In fact, they had already completed all three of those papers/projects and had begun work on the final papers due in each of those classes. They wanted to have the rough drafts of all three of them done before their break as there would only be a week of classes left after Thanksgiving before reading week began. So, that's what they did. They busted their humps and rough drafts of all three papers as well as their biochemistry lab report was done by the Wednesday night before their break was to begin. Of course, they had to be. On Thursday afternoon, they had something else they had to do instead – pick up Bailey's sister Amy for her trip to the northeast.

"I'm just glad all of this craziness around here is over and done with before my sister gets here. Besides not having to worry about that creep still being on the loose, I really want her to see what normal life is like around here..."

Cody just looked at her. "When have our lives around here ever been normal?"

"True. Remember though, while Amy is here, we have to be on our best behavior. So, while she is with us, I'll be staying in my room and up in London's penthouse back in Boston. I know she probably wouldn't care, but if she knows, there is a chance she could accidentally let it slip out to my family back home. I know your parents are cool with it, but my family is a little bit more conservative..."

He sighed. "I know, but I am going to miss you every night."

She leaned in and kissed him. "Trust me, I'm going to find a way to break it to everyone soon. I just want to find a way that they will understand."

"And hopefully not undo them actually liking me now..."

Bailey smiled. "I wouldn't care if they didn't. I like you, and I love you. That's all that matters to me."

Unfortunately for them, the closest airport for Amy to fly into directly from Wichita was going to be JFK in New York City. And they were going to be cutting it close getting there in time to pick her up. The got out of their last class of the day at 12:15 and immediately headed for their car hoping they would make it to the airport in time to meet Amy's 2:50 arrival. Fortunately, they finally pulled into the short term parking lot at 2:38 and ran inside to the baggage claim as fast as they could. While they caught their breath, they checked the monitors and found out which one her luggage would be coming in on. And at 2:55, they finally spotted her coming towards them. Immediately, Bailey ran over to hug her sister.

"Amy!"

"Bailey!"

Cody just stood back and let the sisters have a moment to themselves. But seeing her sister again, Bailey was really excited.

"How was your flight?"

Amy shrugged. "It was fine. Though, it was pretty cool getting to see the Statue of Liberty from my window as we came in."

"Good. I'm just so glad you're finally here. We're going to have so much fun this week! I already have everything planned out for your entire visit here!"

Amy just looked at her in surprise. "You do?"

"Of course. When we get you back to campus, we'll give you a chance to get settled into my dorm room. And then we'll take you over to the dining hall with us so you can sample the food on campus. I figure you're probably a little tired from you're flight, so we'll take it easy tonight. But tomorrow, you'll go sit in on our class, and then we'll take you on a campus tour once its over. On Saturday, we've got you a ticket to the annual Yale/Harvard football game, and I just know you're going to have a blast. On Sunday, we've already scheduled a campus tour at Brown for eleven that morning. From there, we'll head on to Boston, and we'll go see Harvard on Monday..."

Amy barely managed to plaster a fake smile on her face. "Sounds like...fun."

"Great! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to run to the restroom. We've been on the move nonstop since we got out of class. Be right back!"

And with that, Bailey headed off to the women's room. When she did, Cody walked over to his soon to be sister-in-law. And when he did, he noticed her sighing and shaking her head.

"Hello, Amy. Good to see you again."

She turned, saw Cody and hugged him. "Good to see you again too, Cody."

He just looked at her. "So, what's up? I get the feeling you aren't too thrilled with what your sister has planned for your trip."

Amy sighed again. "Its fine, but you know Bailey. She always gets overly excited by things like this."

"I know, but I kind of figured you would be too. I mean, you have three of the best universities in the country fighting for your attention. I figured you'd be thrilled..."

"Oh, I am. But..." She shrugged her shoulders. "I just have a lot on my mind lately, and I don't think there is anyone I can talk to that would understand...especially Bailey."

"Why not lay it on me and let me give it a shot?"

"Sorry, I just don't think there is anyway you could, Cody." She paused and smiled. "I do appreciate the offer though..."

Figuring it might be female troubles, Cody shrugged. "Well, if I can't, I would suggest you try to talk to Bailey. I mean, you two are sisters after all..."

Amy laughed. "Nice try again, but I don't think there is anyway Bailey would ever understand what I'm going through right now."

"Well, you never know. Trust me. Your sister is a wonderful listener as well as being the smartest person I know. Give her a chance to help." He paused. "Believe me, she's helped me out so many times that I've lost count."

"I know she would appreciate you saying that about her, but we both know you are just saying all of that because you're biased."

Cody smiled. "Well, I won't deny that I am, but I'm also saying it because its true."

_Boston_

That same Thursday afternoon, Zack got out of his last class of the day and headed over to Maya's dorm room. He was supposed to meet her there before they headed off to their martial arts class later. She was still in her lab, but she had given him a key so he could let himself in. Once inside, he just laid back on her bed to catch his breath and rest his eyes. The next thing he knew, he was being shaken awake. Opening his eyes, he looked up at a smiling Maya.

"Well, hello, Sleepyhead."

He yawned. "Sorry. I guess I was more tired than I thought..."

"Everything alright? Did you sleep much last night because you were studying for your accounting test today?"

Zack sighed. "I haven't slept much this whole week. Between my test and my design project due tomorrow, I've been burning the midnight oil trying to get everything done. And I'm still not finished yet. I still have to go home and put the finishing touches on my project after we get out of our class tonight. To make it even better, my reward for all of this is getting to spend all weekend studying for my other accounting test on Monday."

Maya sat next to him and pulled his head on to her shoulder. "Why don't you skip the class tonight then? Just go on home, finish your project and then go to bed early."

He shook his head. "I can't. This will be my only real time I'll get to spend with you for the next several days."

She smiled at him. "I appreciate that, but its okay, Zack. We both already accepted that we would never ask the other to sacrifice their school work for the other. Besides, I really think you need a good night's sleep tonight more."

"No, if I can make it through next Tuesday, I'll be fine. Moseby is giving me next Wednesday off to study for the GMAT, so I can sleep in that morning and catch up on my Z's..."

"How are your classes for it going anyways?"

Zack shrugged. "They're fine. This test looks like its just a glorified SAT..."

She looked at him. "No offense, Babe, but..."

"I know, I know. I didn't do that well on the original one. But in my defense, when I took it, I had no intention of ever going to school again after we graduated. This time, its different. Believe me, it might have taken me a while to get going, but I really am taking it serious this time."

"I believe you, Zack. But I also believe that you also need to take care of yourself better than you have been. If you don't, it won't matter how well you do on it this time. Let me ask you this too. Have you been taking the time to eat this past week?"

"Of course I have. I have lunch with you everyday, so you know I have. And for dinner, I usually just grab some fast food on my way home."

Maya sighed. "So, two meals a day you aren't eating healthy. Are you at least eating breakfast every morning?"

He laughed. "Have I ever?"

She shook her head. "Zack, you remember the class I took last year on nutrition?"

"Yeah..." He paused. "Wait a minute! You're not saying I need to go on a diet, are you? Been there before when I was younger, and it totally sucked!"

"No, not a true diet. But I do want you to start eating right." She smiled and poked his stomach. "I just want you to be healthy plus it will make you feel better and give you more energy."

"Not this again. Mom and Cody tried this with me years ago, and I about went crazy. I ended up wearing a large bucket of ice cream on my head."

Maya smiled again. "I know. You've told me that story. But I have nothing like that planned. Just a few minor...tweaks."

"Minor tweaks?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. We'll go to the store on Saturday morning and get you a few things to have around the house. And I want you to start eating breakfast everyday. It will give you a good start to your days."

He sighed. "Why do I get a bad feeling about this?"

Maya laughed and poked his stomach again. "Bad feelings are what we're trying to prevent. Don't worry, I'm not asking you to overhaul anything. I'm Maya, not Jenny Craig."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Zack nodded and stood up. "Well, we need to get moving then. We need to get to class." He yawned again. "This should be fun..."

_New Haven_

After driving back to New Haven, they parked their car in their parking garage before catching the shuttle back to Berkeley College. And once there, Bailey introduced Amy to Gertie and Tapeworm as they were just hanging out in her room. And by then, it was time to head down to the dining hall for dinner. Using one of Bailey's guest passes, Amy joined them to eat and experience real college food. And once dinner was over, they all headed back up to Bailey and Gertie's room. However, Gertie had an exam the next day, so she left to head over to the library to study for it. And after she did that, Cody spoke up.

"Tapeworm, why don't you and I go get our gym time out of the way and give the sisters some time alone. I'm sure they have a lot to catch up on and talk about..."

He nodded, and they made their exit as well. Cody did notice the dirty look Amy was giving him though. And once they were alone, Bailey turned to her sister.

"So, what do you think of Yale so far? The dining room we ate in tonight is voted one of the best in the whole country."

Amy shrugged. "It was fine I guess."

"Well, its the little things like that that can help you make your final decision. You'll be looking at three really good schools the next few days." She laughed. "Of course, you'll want to pick the one that will best prepare you for what you want to do in the future..."

Amy interrupted Bailey as she couldn't take it anymore. "Bailey, stop! I could care less where I actually go to school! It doesn't matter to me at all! And I don't have the first clue what it is I want to do with my life!"

Bailey looked at her sister confused. "I don't understand..."

"Of course you wouldn't. Everything has always come so easy for you. School. Work. Life on the farm. And then you got that chance to go to high school on the boat. I was so envious of you in getting to do that because I wanted to do the same thing. And then when I was old enough to get to go myself, they up and closed it. I was almost furious that you got to do that, and I didn't. And then you got to come on to here and are living the high life. You have your whole live figured out with what you want to do and you have a guy who absolutely adores you. What do I have? Nothing! I'm the baby of the family. I'm Momma and Daddy's last child, so I'm the one they are the most protective of!"

"I never knew you felt that way."

Amy was just getting started though. "Because you were off living your own life while I was still stuck in Kettlecorn. You got out while it felt like I was never going to get to leave! You want to hear something funny? I'm the only one of us kids who hates farm work. And its not that I mildly dislike it, I absolutely loathe it! If I had to keep doing it, I thought I was going to go crazy. When you left for the boat and everybody was so happy for you, I saw that as my way of getting out too. So, I just bit my tongue waiting for my turn. During eighth grade, I sent in my application to Seven Seas High too, but soon after, you told us all that Mr. Tipton was shutting down the school. I was devastated. I began thinking I there was no way I was ever going to get out. But then I found out that I did well on that stupid test, and all of these schools started showing interest in me. And Momma and Daddy were so proud of me and encouraging me to check them out. Suddenly, I saw this as my second chance for ticket out of Kettlecorn. That's why I don't care where I go or what I do. Any of these schools will get me far, far away from the farm!"

Bailey just sat me in shock at what her sister had just told her. "Wow...I had no idea."

Amy sighed. "Of course you didn't. No one does. I've kept my desire to get out all to myself..." She shook her head. "I knew you would never understand."

Bailey smiled. "Oh, I understand better than you think I do. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted out of Kettlecorn as badly as it sounds like you do. I always knew my future lay outside of it. I even would used to try to walk away, but I was always found and brought back. That's why I jumped at the chance to go to school on the boat. You want to hear something no one else in our family knows? I had to pretend to be a boy just to get on the boat as they had no open spots for girls. Yeah, I got busted, but it all worked out for me. But the fact is I know exactly how you feel."

"Really? But you seem so happy whenever you're home. And you seem to love the farm."

"Really. And I am happy when I'm home. Because I get to see my family that I love. But now, I'm just there visiting because I know after a week, I'll be returning back to my real life. And yes, I do love working on the farm, but that's not where my future lies. Now, its a break away from everything. Amy, no one should have to do anything they don't want to do...well, except pay taxes. But if that's not where your future lies, I think everyone will understand."

"You really think so?"

Bailey smiled. "I'm positive. I mean they are all supportive of what I'm doing. I'm sure they'll be with you too." She paused and laughed. "Though, I might refrain from mentioning how much you hate farm work..."

Amy smiled. "I hope so." She paused. "I just don't want to disappoint them if I don't end up doing something as grandiose as you are with medical school. I'm just afraid that they'll keep comparing us as the ones who left..."

"I wouldn't worry about it. We may be sisters, but that doesn't mean we're anything alike. I mean, they have already met Cody's brother, Zack. They're twins, and they couldn't be more different if they tried. Like me, Cody has his future mapped out and knows what he wants. Zack had to have someone point him in a direction and kick him in the butt to get him moving."

Amy laughed. "Wow...Wait a minute. Is he the one Grammy chased around with her cane when you were all there several years ago?"

"That's him." Bailey paused and just looked at her. "Okay, now that I understand where you're coming from, lets change directions a little bit. And I don't want you to get upset, but I'm going into pure big sister mode here."

"Bailey..."

"No, I'm serious here. While you may see this as your ticket out, Amy, you're being given a wonderful opportunity here that you shouldn't overlook. You have three of the best universities in the country showing interest in you. If you are lucky enough to get into one of them, you should jump at it and take it seriously. A degree from one of them will open doors for you that you couldn't imagine."

"But I have no idea what I want to do..."

Bailey smiled. "That's why you have a freshman and sophomore years. While Cody and I knew exactly what we wanted to do, a lot of people here didn't. That's why you spend your first two years taking classes that interest you. Eventually, you'll find something you like and want to pursue further."

Amy shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe you're right..."

"I think l am. But if you want to go to one of them and get your ticket out, you'll have to continue doing well in school."

"That's no problem. I've had a 4.0 since nursery school. In fact, I took a page out of your book, and I've already finished all of my school work due through Christmas break. That's why my teacher had no problem with me heading up here for a week." She smiled. "And since you left to go to Seven Seas High, I can be the first person to go all the way through Kettlecorn schools with all A's."

"Ha ha..."

Amy paused. "Besides, as I grown older, I've found other reasons I want out of Kettlecorn just as badly. All the guys there are...well...idiots. Their idea of conversation is talking about how the crops are looking or what the newest models of tractors look like. I feel like pulling out my hair every time I hear those topics being brought up..."

Bailey laughed. "Trust me, that's something I already knew."

"And I don't want to sound snobby, but I'd like to see what other guys are like who don't have manure on their shoes or dirt underneath their fingernails. You know, maybe find one who still has all of their teeth. I want to get out in the world, and see what other people are like. I want to meet others who aren't like me, like you did. And maybe if I'm lucky, I'll find someone I make a connection with. You know, basically, I want to find my own Cody..."

Bailey smiled. "You will. Well, not the original one...he's all mine." She paused. "So, after hearing all of that, I'm guessing you don't have you a feller back home, huh?"

Amy shook her head. "No way. I've pretty much shot down everyone there already and they leave me alone. Well, almost. There is one doofus, but he can't seem to figure out that I'm not interested."

"Unfortunately, that's a trait you'll find is not reserved just for Kettlecorn. There are guys like that everywhere." Bailey checked the clock. "We can talk more this week about all of this. But its getting late, and we have to get up early in the morning. Lets get the futon folded out for you. Besides, I'm sure you're exhausted after a long day..."

Amy just grinned. "I kind of figured I'd just use your bed tonight. I mean...I thought you'd be staying with Cody like you normally do. Why wouldn't you tonight?"

Bailey just looked at her. "What would give you the idea that we do that?"

"Oh please. Everyone knows you do. Even Momma, Daddy and Grammy know..."

_Boston_

After their martial arts class, Zack and Maya headed back to the Tipton. And while Zack was finishing his design project, Maya went out to get them a healthy dinner. By the time she got back, Zack was done, and sitting on the couch taking it easy. And when Maya showed him what she had brought back, he sighed.

"A salad?"

She smiled. "Well, it does have cut up chicken fingers in it. I wanted to ease you into this."

He looked up at her. "I can still eat whatever I want next Thursday, right?"

Maya laughed. "Of course. I would never deny you the right to gorge out on Thanksgiving. That would just be cruel."

"Good. I have that to look forward to then." He shook his head. "And I have looking forward to sitting on the couch afterwards and passing out as well..."

"I'm looking forward to that too..." She teased him. "So, how come you can't cook like Cody can?"

"Because I had better things to do while we were growing up!"

"Is that so? So, you can't cook at all then?"

"Well, I can make a lemon tart..."

She smiled. "Speaking of which, you need to cut back on stuff like that too. A sugar rush will give you energy for a little while, but it will only make you crash harder later..."

Zack just looked at her. "You aren't learning anything else in your classes that's going suck for me are you?"

Maya laughed. "Oh, I just might be. I can put you on a jogging regiment too if you want..."

"I'd rather stick the private swim lessons."

"We'll see...if you're a good boy."

He yawned. "I'll take it. I'll be glad when January 11 hurries up and gets here. After that, I won't have to worry about the stupid GMAT or its classes anymore. And next semester, I'm doing my second semester of work study, so I'll only have three real classes. I can't wait for that..."

Maya just looked at him. "Wait a minute. Your GMAT is on January 11th?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah, its the same day Cody and Bailey are taking their test too. Its being offered at the same testing center. I figured I'd take it then so I could have them make sure I was awake and got there on time."

"And you sure its on the 11th?"

"Yeah, I'm positive. Its the Saturday before we begin the spring semester on the following Wednesday. Moseby is going to send me on another road trip from Sunday to Tuesday to rest up and relax afterwards while I build up some hours before the semester starts. You're more than welcome to go with me."

She smiled. "I appreciate that, its just that I already planned something for us on that Saturday afternoon. Do you know how long your test will take you?"

"Well, it starts at 8:00 AM, but we have to be there at least 30 minutes before. And all of our tests will last about 6 hours or so."

Maya sighed in relief. "Thank goodness..."

Zack just looked at her. "Why? What do you have planned?"

She paused. "Well, I have some news you'll like and news you might not like..."

"Tell me the good news first."

Maya smiled. "I have six court side seats for the Knicks-Celtics game that afternoon at 5:00. I got two for Cody and Bailey to thank them for helping me study this past summer."

Zack smiled back. "Sounds good to me, and I think they'll be cool with that." He paused. "Six seats though. Who else is going with us?"

She sighed. "My parents. There coming up to see me before school starts, and they want to meet you then._"_

_New Haven_

Bailey just looked at her sister in shock.

"What do you mean everyone knows? They've never given Cody or I any indication that they do!"

Amy laughed. "Well, I'm just going by a conversation I overheard. Supposedly, last Christmas, Daddy and Grammy caught you two all curled up together on the couch. Daddy wanted to say something about it, but Grammy wouldn't let him. Something about things he and Momma used to do when they were younger. I really didn't want any details of that..."

Bailey shook her head. "I can't believe this! I mean, Cody's Mom and Dad already knew, and they both trust us, but I was always a little worried about how Daddy would react to this..."

"If it makes you feel better, once you two got engaged, I don't think it bothered him nearly as much. He just began mumbling about his girls growing up on him."

"While that's good, I wish they had told me..." She paused and smiled. "Well, something tells me Christmas this year back on the farm is going to be a little different..."

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Bailey got up to answer it and found Cody standing there smiling.

"Hey Sweetie. I just wanted to stop by and tell you goodnight before I went to bed." He leaned in for a kiss but Bailey held out her arm to stop him.

"Hold on to that thought for a few minutes. I'm coming downstairs and staying with you. Just let me grab some pajamas to change into."

Cody just looked at her confused. "Huh? But your sister is here, and you said..."

Bailey smiled. "I know. I'll explain everything to you on the way downstairs." She turned back to Amy. "And you? Get some rest. I'll be back at 7:00 AM to wake you up for our class in the morning. Right now, I know you don't care, but, I'm going to show you the real perks of an ivy league education!"

__To be Continued...__

**AN: I finished episode 24 of Season 4 over the weekend. And for those who like cameos from other shows, I've included two I hope you will enjoy. Now, this weekend I will began writing episode 25, the series finale. From the beginning, I was planning on doing four seasons (four years in college). Now, you can probably guess what will happen in the episode, but I promise you the the ending will include a big surprise twist.**__  
><em>_


	10. Creating a Monster

_Episode 10_

_"Creating a Monster"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

First thing the next morning, Bailey pretty much had to drag Amy out of bed. For the first time since she could remember, there wasn't a rooster crowing to wake her up, and she was enjoying getting to sleep in a little. But Bailey did manage to get her up, and moving and on to the bathroom for a shower. And once both were dressed for the day, Amy yawned and turned to Bailey.

"Okay, what gives? Why are we up and dressed by 7:30 when your only class today isn't until 9:00?"

Bailey shrugged. "Its just part of our schedule. We like to make sure we have plenty of time to grab breakfast before class. As you should know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now come on, we have a lot to do and see today..."

"Remember, I'm here on a vacation too..."

"There'll be plenty of time to rest next week. You came here to see Yale, and that's what we're going to show you."

From there, they headed down to Cody's room where he was waiting for them, and they all headed over to the Commons for breakfast. After taking their time to eat and show Amy around the Commons, they all headed to Cody and Bailey's philosophy seminar. Shortly after Eunice had called her, Bailey had cleared it with her professor for Amy to sit in on the class. And he was happy to have her and even encouraged her to take part in the class discussions if she wanted. Amy declined to do so. Once it was over, they all walked out of it as they headed back to Berkeley.

"So, Amy, what did you think of you first college class experience?"

She shook her head and laughed. "Let me get this straight...you two actually chose to take that class?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"More power to you two then if you found that hogwash interesting. But, I think I can safely mark off philosophy as a potential major one day. In fact, I'm going to make sure I avoid ever taking a class in it ever!"

Bailey laughed. "We aren't majoring in it either, but that class is perfectly for us when it comes to doing our Ethics, Politics & Economics senior projects."

"Whatever you say, Sis..."

After dropping there things off back at the dorm, the three of them headed off for a tour of campus. The only break they took was for a late lunch back in the dining hall. By dinner time that night, Amy was pretty sure that there wasn't a single square inch of campus they hadn't covered in the past several hours.

"Okay, this campus is kind of freaky..."

"What do you mean?"

She just looked at them. "Has it escaped both of your attentions that there is this huge cemetery smack dab in the middle of it?"

Bailey shrugged. "Well, yeah, we know its there, but its not like we ever have a reason to go through it. Some students will cut through it as a short cut to get to parts of north campus, but we never have."

Cody spoke up. "Plus, you have to remember that it wasn't always in the middle of campus. When Yale was chartered back in 1701, the cemetery didn't even exist. And when they did build it, I'm sure it was just adjacent to campus as its where a lot of old university professors, presidents and alumni as well as local and state politicians are buried. Plus, there are even some very noteworthy people resting in there like Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin, US founding father Roger Sherman who signed both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and Charles Goodyear, the inventor of vulcanized rubber."

"Don't forget the fathers of both Samuel Morse and Harriet Beecher Stowe."

"That's true..." He paused. "And Zack even recognized a few names I didn't. An A. Bartlett Giamatti who was commissioner of baseball who banned some guy named Pete Rose for life. And another guy named Walter Camp who Zack said a big football award was named after..."

Bailey shrugged. "I've never heard of them either..." She turned back to her sister. "So, you have to remember, campus expanded over the years and more than likely just acquired all of the land around it. Eventually, the cemetery just ended up in the middle of it all. You have to remember...Yale was 75 years old when America declared its independence. That's how old it is. Other than Harvard and William and Mary, its the oldest university in the country."

Amy just looked back and forth between them before shaking her head. "Anyways, what's the deal with all of these secret societies up here? Are you really telling me that no one knows what goes on behind those closed doors."

"Just the members of them."

"Are you two members?"

Cody laughed. "Nope. They only accept seniors as members, and neither Bailey nor I have the connections to become ones next year. They usually choose people who had a relative who was a past member or whose family is pretty powerful. That precludes the both of us."

Amy paused. "Hmmm...I'd love to know what's really in there."

Bailey shook her head. "Forget about it. Those places are almost as secure as Fort Knox. And rumor is they don't take kindly to people who try to find out their secrets. The members of those places places can reek havoc on your life more than someone like Wilfred Tipton could..."

When they got back to the dorm, they met back up with Tapeworm and Gertie, and everyone suggested heading out for a brick oven pizza at a campus establishment to give Amy a taste of the local cuisine. They even thought they might go catch a movie if there was anything playing they wanted to see. And to Amy, that was just fine with her as she was getting a little tired of the Yale sales pitch Cody and Bailey were giving her.

But it wasn't over yet as Bailey turned to her sister while they waited on their food. "So, overall, what do you think of Yale so far?"

"Well, it seems pretty cool I guess, but I want to see what the other schools are like too. There is one thing I'm sure of though."

"What's that?"

Amy grinned. "I already know I'm going to love not having to be up at the crack of dawn every morning! And no offense, Sis, but my alarm clock will be nothing like your chicken one. Once I leave the farm, I'll be happy if I never hear one of them ever again!"

Bailey shrugged. "Well, your choice, but Cody and I have found we prefer to get all of our classes out of the way as early in the day as possible. So, don't overlook morning classes."

"I'll worry about that next year."

Unfortunately, they didn't see any movies out that anyone wanted to see as most studios waited to release their big movies until the following Thanksgiving weekend. So, they headed back to the dorm to just hang out there. And they pretty much had it to themselves as most residents had already left for the break. So, they hung out in the basement where Cody soon learned that a high skill level at ping pong and darts seemed to be a Pickett family trait. Of the few people still in the dorm, a large crowd gathered to watch an epic bout between the sisters.

Once it was over, Cody just shook his head. "No offense, Amy, but I'm kind of glad you won't be here in school with us next year. I'd lose my spot on the ping pong team..."

Bailey laughed. "I wouldn't do that to you, Sweetie. You and I are a team and always will be."

The next day, they all attended The Game and watched Yale pull out a close victory over their arch rivals, the Harvard Crimson. And Amy was blown away by the level of hatred between the two school's fans and alumni.

"Its just strange. I mean, I know all about Kansas and Missouri and Kansas and K State, but this was absolutely brutal. Both sides literally hate each other. I just never expected two school that ooze prestige and civility to resort to this kind of behavior..." She paused. "And you guys are actually considering going to Harvard Medical School? You would think they would see the word Yale on your resumes and throw your application into the trash can..."

Cody laughed. "Actually, its quite the opposite. They see the word Yale, and would love nothing more to steal one of Yale's own away from them. If a Yale undergraduate spurs Yale to go to Harvard for graduate school, Harvard sees that as the ultimate revenge."

Amy paused to consider that. "But didn't I hear that you were banned from Harvard?"

He sighed. "I was thanks to my brother, but that was under the administration of its previous university president. Fortunately for me, he left last year for a position in the President's cabinet. As far as I know, the current one has no vendetta against me..."

"What did your brother do anyways?"

Cody told her the story, and Amy just laughed. "Between that and what he tried to do to Grammy, he sounds like a real piece of work..."

"He's gotten better..."

Bailey nodded. "He actually has. In the past three years, he's really grown up and matured. I mean, he's on pace to graduate from BU in four years, and he's now in a serious relationship. Trust me though, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed it. I saw the things he tried to pull off on the ship, and Cody has told me it much the same way at the Tipton."

"Zack once even tried to rig a beauty pageant on the boat just so he could meet girls." Cody smiled. "Fortunately, your sister's beauty, grace and charm was able to over come it all, and she won."

Bailey smiled back at him. "Well, I had a good coach and someone who was in my corner and believed in me."

Amy sighed. "It sounds like you all had so many adventures on the boat. I wish I could have had some myself..."

"Well, we did have quite a few that I'll never forget..."

Cody nodded. "And several more I never would have believed if I hadn't been there to see them myself..."

Amy just looked back and forth between them. "Alright, there's some juicy stories there. Tell me everything!"

For the rest of the night, they did fill her in on some of their more adventurous tales. Amy couldn't believe that her sister had been possessed or that they had actually seen ghosts. A few of the others, she found herself laughing about how absurd they were. But, they had to call it a night early as they had another big day the next day. And the next morning, being the gentlemen they were, Cody and Tapeworm went to get the cars while the ladies stayed in the warm confines of the dorm lobby. And when they got back, it was time to part ways.

"So, what are you guys doing for break?"

Gertie smiled. "I'm heading up to Amherst for a few days before Dennis is flying back to Maryland with me on Wednesday night. Then we're flying back on Saturday morning to come back here for the home stretch."

"Well, I guess we'll see you in a week then."

Gertie turned to Amy and winked. "You better keep an eye on those two over break. Its always the good ones you have to watch out for."

And with that they were off. While Tapeworm and Gertie headed north, Cody, Bailey and Amy headed east towards Providence. And they arrived early enough to grab a donut and something hot to drink at a Dunkin Donuts near Brown's campus. At eleven, they were right on time for an information session followed by a campus tour. For Amy, it was a chance to see another option for her and another location for her to flee to from Kettlecorn. For Bailey and Cody, it was a chance to see one of their second tier medical schools they were considering. But all Cody could keep thinking was that brown was still a really ugly color.

About five o'clock, they finished their tour and got in the car to head back to Boston. And a little over an hour later, they pulled into the Tipton's underground garage. Once they got up to the lobby, Amy's eyes went wide, and she turned to Cody.

"You grew up here?"

Bailey laughed. "I said the same thing when I first saw it."

Cody smiled. "And to be exact, my mom, Zack and I moved here when we were eleven. So since then, I've lived here on and off for nine years." He paused. "Wow...I've lived here almost half of my life."

Bailey patted his back. "Its okay. Everyone gets old, Sweetie."

He turned and looked at her. "I guess so." He teased her. "What's that say about you then? You've got those extra two months on me..."

Bailey glared at him while Amy just laughed. Once upstairs, they lead Amy to the guys' suite, and when they walked in, Zack and Maya were at the kitchen table studying.

"We're back!"

Zack looked up and shushed his brother. "We can see that. But someone of us don't have all week off from school and still have exams tomorrow."

Cody paused. "Alright then...Well, Zack, Maya, this is Bailey's sister, Amy. Amy, this is my brother, Zack and his girlfriend, Maya."

Everyone nodded their greetings before Amy took a good look at Zack. "So, you're the one Grammy chased around the farm. I wish I had been there to see that..."

Zack sighed. "Yet another thing I'll never live down."

Amy turned to Bailey. "Its funny. After all you've guys told me, I knew Cody and Zack were nothing alike. But with them being twins, I kind of expected to look more alike. I just don't see it though..."

At the same time, Zack and Cody both spoke. "Thank you!"

_Boston_

After taking it easy on Sunday night, Monday was the beginning of a brand new week. Zack and Maya had a two day school week to finish up while Cody and Bailey took Amy on a tour of Harvard's campus. Since Cody had spent a lot time in Boston and had been to Harvard's campus for various award ceremonies and academic competitions, he knew his way around there much better than he did Brown. And once their tour was over, Amy obliged them in them taking a tour of the Harvard Medical School which was across the river from the main campus in the Longwood Medical Neighborhood. Along the way, they even showed her around Fenway Park and its surrounding neighborhood. That evening, the three of them were just hanging around the suite after eating dinner when Zack walked into the suite looking absolutely exhausted.

Cody looked at his brother and laughed. "Wow...you look terrible."

"Well, I had an accounting final today and then I had to sit through three hours of a GMAT prep course." He sighed. "How come you two aren't taking one of those for the MCAT?"

"Because we've been studying for it pretty regularly since the beginning of last summer. In addition, we've taken online study courses and a few practice tests since then. Besides, those classes for the MCAT would cost over $5,000 for each of us. We don't have that kind of money..."

Zack nodded. "Fair enough." He paused. "Codester, can I speak to you for a minute in my room? You know, a little bro to bro talk?"

Cody just shrugged. "Alright..."

Once they had gone to Zack's room, and he had shut the door behind them, Zack turned to his brother.

"I need your advice on something."

"Alright. What about?"

Zack sighed again. "Well, the same day as our tests in January, Maya has gotten us all floor seats to the Celts and Knicks..."

Cody just looked at him. "So? You make it sound like that is a bad thing..."

"Its not...except for the fact that it will be the first time I will be meeting her parents. They're going to be there too..."

Cody just nodded. "Ahhh. I see. You're worried about meeting them after just getting done with a grueling test. I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure they'll understand if you're worn out."

"Cody, I'd be worried about meeting them if I had gotten twelve hours sleep and was as fresh as a daisy!"

"You've lost me then. Why are you worried about meeting them?"

This time, it was Zack just stared at Cody. "Why? You of all people have to ask me why? Don't you remember the first time you met Bailey's parents?"

"Well, yeah, but that was a little different, Zack. At the time, we were still apart, and they blamed me for breaking their daughter's heart. And to make matters worse, Clyde and I definitely got off on the wrong foot. Then, that oaf Moose showed up. And if all of that wasn't bad enough, a tornado decided to come breezing through the area. Yours is a totally different situation. You'll have been back together with Maya for almost eight months and be inside of a temperature controlled arena."

"Still..." He paused. "What if they don't like me?"

Cody laughed. "Wouldn't be the first time a girl you've dated had a parent who despised you..."

Zack glared at him again. "Not being helpful!"

"Well, you weren't so helpful when you got me temporarily banished from Harvard. And while were on the topic, Zack, while Yale does rhyme with whale, a whale isn't a fish. Its a mammal like you and I."

"Like that matters right now!"

Cody just grinned. "Zack, there is nothing for you to get worked up over."

"Easy for you to say! Despite the initial problems you had, you're soon to be in-laws now actually really like you for some reason. They've actually had time to get to know you, and still think you're good for Bailey. Heck, they're even welcomed you into the family with open arms..."

"Yeah, we were fortunately able to overcome a rocky start. And for that, I'm grateful. And I'm really lucky that they were able to see how much Bailey means to me even though my attempts to save their farm all failed miserably. But if they didn't like me, there would be nothing I could do about it. And the fact is that it wouldn't matter to Bailey either. She's actually told me that very thing herself. But her parents know we love each other, and they accept that. I'm sure Maya's parents will too."

Zack sighed. "I hope so."

Cody laughed again. "Zack, just be yourself..." He paused. "Well, a better behaved version of yourself would probably be best."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Gee... thanks."

"Zack, on that day, you should be focusing your attention on your test and not about meeting her parents. And its like I said before...knowing you have just gotten out of the GMAT, I'm sure they'll be willing to cut you a little slack."

He stopped to consider that. "I guess you do have a point there."

Cody smiled. "I always do, but you've just never listened to me before..."

Zack just looked at him again. "Easy, Baby Bro. You may know that one stupid move, but I know enough stuff now from my self defense classes to put a real hurting on you..."

Cody laughed again. "Yeah, that's a good way to get on Maya's parents' good side - get arrested for assaulting your brother...

"Don't push me, Bro...Even though she says it isn't one, Maya has me on a diet. I haven't had real food in a few days. Now is not the time to mess with me!"

_London's Penthouse_

Tuesday was spent taking Amy around Boston to show her some of the city's historical sites and landmarks. They had to cut the tour a little short as Cody and Bailey had another errand they had to do that afternoon - go to the grocery store to buy everything for Thursday. Amy decided to go with them, and they asked her if there was anything special she wanted for the meal. She did mention a mince meat pie would be nice, but Cody said it was already on the menu. On Wednesday, they set her up with a spa treatment at the hotel so she wouldn't have to sit there while they prepared all the dishes. About four o'clock that afternoon, she made her way up to the penthouse just as Cody and Bailey were finishing up everything.

"How was the spa?"

Amy sighed in contentment as she sunk back into London's couch. "Heavenly. We definitely need one of those back in Kettlecorn..."

Bailey laughed. "Yeah, right! Something tells me one of those might not go over too well there."

"Probably not. Is there anything I can do to help you guys out?"

"No, I think we are just about done here..."

Amy shook her head and laughed. "My sister the cook. I never thought I'd see this day. I remember when you used to have trouble making toast."

Cody smiled and spoke up. "Well, she's quite good now. She knows her way around a kitchen quite well now. In fact, this year, she's prepared the ham all by herself..."

Bailey smiled at him. "Well, I had a good teacher."

Amy kept laughing. "You handled the ham? What do you think Porkers would say about that?"

Cody paused and laughed too. "I think he'd say he's happy he's wasn't the ham..."

Bailey just looked at him. "Probably so - considering some of things I know you've done with a ham before. Shall we tell her that story too?"

"You know I was just trying to help out our friend, Woody..."

"Uh huh. That's the story you keep telling me..."

"Hey, at least I never bit you!" Cody shook his head and decided to change the subject. "So...Amy, you've now seen three big cities in New England and three Ivy League universities. What do you think?"

She fell back into the couch and sighed again. "I love it here! A store you can go to and get your vegetables, meat, eggs and milk without having to plant, harvest, slaughter or brave a temperamental cow or chicken? It doesn't get much better than that! And that subway that will take you anywhere in the city? Its awesome! And every place we've been has been right on the ocean. In Kettlecorn, we're thousands of miles from an ocean. And after seeing it, the old fishing hole will never look the same again. Bailey, I completely understand now why you have no desire to ever live in Kettlecorn again!"

Bailey shook her head. "I have other reasons for being where I am, Amy..."

"Oh, I know. But I can't wait till I can be around a place like this all the time! Its like heaven!"

Cody leaned over to Bailey and whispered. "Looks like you've created a monster..."

Bailey whispered back. "Seems that way, huh?"

Amy spoke up again. "So, this is London Tipton's penthouse. When do I finally get to meet her?"

"Oh, she's around here somewhere. At the very least, you'll get to meet her tomorrow. You'll also get to meet some other people I've told you about like Moseby and Tut, Esteban and Francesca and Arwin."

Cody spoke without thinking. "And if its like last year, you might even get to meet Mr. Tipton himself."

Amy jumped up and glared at them. "Mr. Tipton? If he's here, I might have to punch him in the face! First for what he tried to do to the farm and then with closing Seven Seas High! I hate that man!"

_Zack and Cody's Suite_

While Cody and Bailey were preparing the next day's meal, Zack was spending the day studying for the GMAT. Well, he was after he slept in till almost eleven o'clock that morning. He had tried to get Maya to stay with him the night before, but she told him that she had to be at work by 8:15. While the university itself was closed, the fit&rec center was not. And since it would probably be a ghost town, she figured she would be making easy money for doing nothing.

About five that afternoon, Maya returned back to the suite, and Zack looked up from his study guide in surprise.

"You're back early. I figured your last class would only be about half over by now."

She shrugged. "It was canceled. About four o'clock, the only remaining person who was going to show up called and said they weren't going to make it. So, my boss told me I could go on and leave."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

She smiled. "Definitely good. The lessons have already been paid for, so I get paid whether they show up or not. And speaking of getting paid, I got my paycheck today and deposited it on the way over her. So, I'm ready for Friday morning..."

Zack groaned. "Black Friday...I almost forgot."

"Well, now you know. So, you get your rest tomorrow because Bailey and I have already been talking. We think we're going to leave the suite at 5:00 AM this year."

Zack just dropped his face into the book he had been looking at.

_London's Penthouse_

On Thursday, Cody and Bailey were up early to began actually cooking the food. And they let Amy sleep in, but they did leave her a note as to where they would be. By noon, most everyone had began showing up at London's penthouse to watch the Lions play the Vikings. And throughout the afternoon, Amy finally got to meet Moseby, Tut, Arwin, Esteban and Francesca.

And when she met Tut, Amy had an enlightening conversation with her.

"So, you're Amy Pickett. I finally get to meet the person behind the application."

"What do you mean? You actually looked at it?"

Emma smiled. "I was the one who reviewed your application to Seven Seas High. It was very impressive, and I was going to recommend you for admission." She paused. "But then..."

Amy sighed. "The school got closed down with the rest of the ship..."

"Yeah, that came as a surprise to all of us."

Amy frowned. "I really, really hate Wilfred Tipton..."

Emma shrugged. "If I were you, I wouldn't even give him a second thought. He can't interfere with your future unless you let him. Besides, I hear you are already getting interest from some of the big ivy league schools around here. If I were you, I would focus your concentration on that."

"Bailey told me the exact same thing. Maybe you two are right. Where did you go to school, Mrs. Moseby?"

Emma paused and laughed. "Well, that really doesn't matter, now does it?"

Amy just nodded. She was pretty sure Bailey was right about something else too. Wherever Tut had gone to school, she was pretty sure it probably wasn't accredited.

And right before the Cowboys game with the Eagles, London finally arrived with Todd.

"I'm finally here!"

Zack looked up. "You live here."

"Still, this is me making my grand entrance."

Bailey wiped her hands on a dishtowel before walking over to London. "London, I'd like to introduce you to my sister, Amy. Amy, this is London Tipton."

Amy smiled. "A pleasure to finally meet you."

London smiled back. "I'm sure it is. Well, I guess if I say 'Farm Girl' today, I'm going to have to be more specific." She shrugged. "Oh well."

Bailey shook her head. "Actually, you and Amy have something in common. You both hate farm work."

London looked at Amy again. "There may be hope for you then. Your sister is pretty much already a lost cause..." She paused. "Okay, I have a question. When we were all in Kettlecorn, why did I not get to meet you then?"

"Oh, we were on Christmas break too, and Sophie, Daphne and I were all visiting our Momma's Momma..."

"Oh...that makes sense."

Amy had to laugh before something else popped into her mind. "Is your father going to be here?"

"Nah, he heard my Mom was coming and said he would pass this year."

Bailey's eyes went wide at hearing that. "Your mother is going to be here? We finally get to meet her?"

London just looked at her. "Yeah...But there is always plenty of food, so one more shouldn't be a big deal. Anyways, speaking of Daddy, I talked to him a few days ago. For some reason, he was asking me all kinds of questions about you and Cody..."

Cody and Bailey looked at each other feeling a little worried. "He did? What kind of questions?"

"Well, he wanted to know if you two had begun applying to medical schools yet. He was real curious which ones you were looking to go to..."

Cody frowned. "Why does he want to know that?"

London shrugged again. "I don't know. I didn't ask questions...I had better things to talk to him about."

Cody and Bailey just looked at each other again...now really worried about what Wilfred Tipton might be up to. And after London and Todd socialized with everyone else, he pulled her aside.

"Why didn't you tell them the truth? You told me that it wasn't anything bad at all..."

London just smiled. "It not...but its more fun this way to see them get all riled up..."

_To be Continued..._

**AN: Confession time here. When Zack said something about a school that sounded like a fish, I had no idea what he was talking about for the longest time. It took me doing research for a story and discovering that the Yale hockey arena is nicknamed the Yale Whale for me to put two and two together.**


	11. Black Friday 2

_Episode 11_

_"Black Friday 2"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_London's Penthouse_

While everyone else was socializing or watching the football game on TV, Cody and Bailey continued checking on the statuses of the dishes that were still cooking. And once they were satisfied everything was as it should, they huddled up in the corner of the kitchen and began whispering.

"So, what do you think Mr. Tipton is up to?"

Cody shrugged. "I have no idea, Bails. I do know that I'm getting a bad feeling about all of this though."

Bailey sighed. "Same here. After the last time, I was really looking forward to us going through an admissions process that would be free from worry..."

"So, what do we do?"

She paused to think. "Well, I guess the only thing we can do is forget to tell London when we're going to apply to schools. If we do that, then there's nothing she can tell her father..."

Cody stopped to consider that idea. "I think you're right. I mean, we are going through the early admissions process, so that should buy us some time. Hopefully by the time he does find out, we'll already be accepted somewhere."

Bailey nodded. "Agreed. We'll just keep everything regarding our application and admissions process to ourselves for a while."

Unfortunately for them, their huddle in the corner of the kitchen hadn't gone unnoticed. And they were so engrossed in their little conversation that they did notice someone walking up to them.

"Looks like you two are in the midst of a serious discussion..."

Both turned to see Todd standing there smiling at them.

"Ummm..."

"Well...we're..."

Todd laughed and cut them off. "Just discussing the little bomb dropped on you by London a little while ago, huh?"

Cody sighed. "Busted..."

Todd looked around to make sure London wasn't watching him before he leaned in. "I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you. I think London is just having some fun with the both of you..."

Bailey was surprised. "You really think so?"

"I know so..." He paused. "...but if you ever tell her I said that, I'll deny it!"

"So she made that whole thing up?"

"No, but for once, I don't think Wilfred Tipton has anything malicious up his sleeve. Besides, I can't see London standing for it if he did. She might like to give everyone a hard time, but she does generally care about her friends."

Bailey nodded. "That's true. She is the one who blackmailed her father back in Kettlecorn..."

Cody could only nod too. "And she is the one who gave Zack the kick in the butt that he needed...You're right, London wouldn't let her father get away with anything like that." He paused. "But that still leaves the question of why Wilfred Tipton wants to know when we're going to apply."

Todd shrugged. "No clue, but I wouldn't let it bother you. And I know London is just teasing you too, but she doesn't know how stressful this time can be for you two. Trust me. I've been through the application process for dental school, and I know how much of a pain that was."

Bailey just looked at him. "Was it really that bad?"

He laughed. "Oh yeah...especially at the kind of places you two are probably looking at."

"Any words of wisdom?"

Todd stopped to think. "Yeah. Expect the unexpected..."

Soon after, the buzzers on the stove went off, and Cody and Bailey got everything out and set it up in a buffet line for everyone. And once thanks was given, everyone attack the food like a pack of hyenas. After everyone gorged themselves once again, everyone proceeded to pass out in front of the TV yet again. And Amy just shook her head and laughed.

"Well, I can see somethings are an awful lot like home around here..."

Bailey laughed. "Yeah, it happens every year. I wish I had a video camera here to catch all of this on film..." She elbowed Cody. "We could call it the Terrors of Tryptophan..."

He laughed. "Very true..."

She paused. "Plus, it would be nice to be able to catch our memories on tape so we could go back and watch them over and over when we're older." Bailey shrugged and turned to her sister. "Anyways, we're about to head downstairs and hunker down ourselves on the couch there. I would advise you to get yourself a nap into so you'll be ready for tomorrow..."

"What's tomorrow?"

Bailey just smiled. "Well, back home, the day after Thanksgiving is an ordinary day. But around here, its considered the first day of the Christmas season. And since most people have it off from work, all the stores have these huge sales so people can begin their Christmas shopping. Some of these sales start pretty early in the morning, and in some places, there are already lines forming as we speak. Amy, welcome to Black Friday. We all plan on being out of the hotel by 5 AM..."

Amy's eyes went wide. "5 AM? It'll be like being back on the farm!"

"Yeah, kind of..."

"You're serious? We're really getting up early to go shopping?"

Cody laughed. "Well, we'll be there, but no guarantees everyone will be 100% awake. And we'll stop to get caffeine before we hit the subway. Trust me, it may seem like a pain, but its good to go ahead and get our Christmas shopping done tomorrow and have it out of the way..."

Amy just shook her head. "Wow..."

Bailey smiled again. "But the good news is after we're done, we'll take it easy and do absolutely nothing. And then you can sleep in in the morning since your flight out isn't until tomorrow afternoon..."

"Well, I guess that'll work. Oh well, I am up here to experience new things. Bring it on!"

Of course, at four o'clock the next morning, she wasn't as gung ho. And while Amy wasn't happy, no one was more unhappy to be waking up so early that morning than Zack was. He begged and pleaded for the chance to stay in bed a while longer and meet up with them later. He even promised to play pack mule later but to no avail. However, Maya promised him that once they were done for the day, he would get to take a well deserved nap. She even promised him they could order in a pizza that night with whatever he wanted on it. Zack still wasn't happy, but that did get him up and out of bed. About an hour later, everyone was ready, and they were all out the door a few minutes before 5:00.

And when Amy saw the size of crowds and the madness, she was totally blown away. But Bailey quickly told her than she could show no fear and had to be ready to get in there and fight. For almost the first seven hours out of their day out, they clawed, scratched pushed and managed to actually buy most of the gifts for their other family members. A little after noon, everyone was starving and in need of sustenance, so they happily headed for the food court. And when they were done eating and caught their second winds, the guys went one direction while the ladies went in another one.

Amy looked at Bailey and Maya. "You really think its a good idea for those two to go off by themselves? I don't think they're feeling to well. I mean...both have already run to the bathroom at least four times a piece..."

Bailey just shook her head and laughed. "Trust me. They haven't seen the inside of the bathroom here yet..."

Maya laughed too. "Well, maybe once. Both did grab a 24 oz cappuccino before we got on the the subway. But those other times, they just needed to get away from us for a few minutes."

Amy just looked at them in confusion. "Huh? I don't understand."

Bailey just smiled at her. "You remember this morning when Maya and I would try something on and mention how much we liked whatever it was, but we could justify buying it?"

She nodded. "Yeah..."

"Well, when they said they were going to the bathroom, I guarantee they were heading back into those stores asking the clerks to put those things we tried on aside for them. I bet they are heading back to those places right now to actually buy them."

"Why would they do that? That doesn't make any sense!"

Maya smiled at her. "Well, it does and it doesn't. Its just the way things are, so its not really their fault. At some point along the way, a few women ruined it for the rest of us..."

"How so?"

"Their boyfriends or husbands or even their brothers or dads bought them something they genuinely thought they would like. Well, for whatever reason, what they bought was either the wrong size or the wrong style or something like that. Instead of appreciating the sentiment, the women they bought the gifts for stupidly yelled at or chastised the guy, and we're paying the price now. Amy, guys talk, and once others heard the horror story, they were willing to do anything to make sure something similar didn't happen to them. So guys stopped buying clothes for women and resorted to giving them gift cards. While they are nice enough, they don't have the same personal touch."

Bailey continued. "And it would have continued that way until one guy found the loophole to this problem. If he heard the woman in his life say she liked something she was trying on, he rationed that it would be something safe he could buy for her." She nodded down to the boots she was wearing. "Like these boots. I liked them last year and mentioned it in passing to Cody. Christmas morning, I opened the package and there they were. Anyways, it worked wonders. The woman he bought the gifts for bragged to her friends that her feller was so thoughtful. They, in turn, lamented that their fellers weren't as thoughtful. Somehow, those guys found out and confronted the original guy who found the loophole. He explained the genius of his plan, and like the original horror story, the loophole has spread like wildfire among guys. So, that's why it is the way it is..."

Amy paused. "So, basically...you're manipulating them to make sure you get exactly what you want?"

Maya laughed. "In a way, I guess we are. But I like to think of it as just playing the hand we were dealt."

Bailey nodded. "Exactly. And I know Cody knows I'd never get mad at him for trying to be thoughtful. But at the same time, I can't blame him for being a little cautious. Christmas is supposed to be a joyous occasion. No wants it ruined by getting yelled at or to feel like the person didn't like their gift."

"So, that's it? You never get anything you don't explicitly say you like after you try it on?"

"Of course we do. Anything not clothes, we can just mention it anywhere else at any time, and most will make reminders for themselves. You have to remember that just because a guy doesn't look like he's listening, it doesn't mean he isn't."

"Bailey's right. I was mentioning to Zack the other day that my backpack was beginning to get a little worn. I can almost guarantee I'll have a new one for Christmas. And there are exceptions. Take last year for example. Zack bought me an Eli Manning jersey even though I had never mentioned wanting one. But he had a good idea..." She turned to Bailey. "...that I'm sure Cody probably helped with to purposely get it big so I could wear a sweatshirt underneath it."

"I'm sure Cody was probably behind it. My birthday before we started college, Cody got me a Yale sweatshirt because he knew those were supposed to be baggy."

Amy shook her head. "This is all a little much to grasp..."

Bailey smiled. "I know it sounds crazy, but think about it positively. It lets us know that our guys actually do listen to what we want and care about us enough to try to make us happy."

Amy shook her head. "Well, I don't think I'll ever do anything like that."

Maya laughed. "Famous last words...Besides, it works both ways. I know Zack's been dropping hints for a while now about certain things. I bet Cody has too."

"Yeah, he has. He's been talking about how he'd love to have a 4 in 1 laser printer/copier/scanner/fax machine."

"Sounds expensive."

Bailey laughed. "Yeah, but I found the one he wants on-line. If I order it on Cyber Monday, I can get it for 80% off from one place. And seeing the look on his face when he opens it up will be priceless."

Amy ran her fingers through her hair. "Maybe I should enjoy how simple life is in Kettlecorn while I can..."

"Might be a good idea. But, eventually, you'll get used to everything. I mean...I did."

Maya checked her watch. "And its almost one, and we have several stores to hit before we meet back up with the guys."

Bailey nodded. "You're right. I want to get finished today so I can be done with my shopping."

Maye picked up her bags before paused. "Now what store did you find those boots in? I absolutely love those! I think I might need to make a detour there to try on a pair once I meet back up with Zack again..."

Everyone finally called it a day about five o'clock that evening after having spent twelve hours out in the insanity. Everyone was happy to be home, but no one more so that Zack who finally got to enjoy his pizza and take a nap. Saturday brought with it the time for everyone to get back to their regular lives. Amy had to head back to Kettlecorn, and Cody and Bailey had to head back to New Haven to finish out their fall semesters. They would only have a week of classes left when they got back while Zack and Maya would have two at BU. So, after having a final lunch of leftovers with everyone, Cody, Bailey and Amy said goodbye to everyone. The first stop was to drop Amy off at Logan International. And once they had her checked in and she had her boarding pass, it was time for the Pickett sisters to part ways again.

"I really enjoyed having you up here with us for the last week and a half, Amy."

Amy smiled. "I had a lot of fun too. I knew life away from the farm would be different, but I now have an idea of just how different it can be..."

Bailey laughed. "Well, I hope it hasn't scared you off from it..."

"Actually, quite the opposite. I can't wait to get back this way for good. After getting a glimpse of what the outside world has to offer, I can't wait to see what else it has!"

"Just remember to keep up with your studies so it will be a possibility for you."

Amy grinned. "I will, Sis. I'll see you two in a few weeks in Kettlecorn..." She turned to Cody. "Even though she can be an overprotective pain in the butt, you better take good care of my sister for me!"

He smiled. "Don't worry, I'll do my best. Besides, you saw her in action on Friday morning. I think she can more than take care of herself..."

"I know. I have to admit...I'm not sure whether I more scared or impressed."

Soon after, it was time for Amy to head through security. And as she did, it was time for Cody and Bailey to head back to New Haven.

_New Haven_

About four o'clock that afternoon, Cody and Bailey were back in New Haven and settled back into their dorms. And that's when they decided to do something they hadn't done in almost two weeks – laundry. But they had their laptops with them and were busy editing their own and each other's final papers for their three seminar classes. By the time they were done, both felt good about all of them and believed they were ready to turn them in.

Later that evening, they were taking it easy watching TV in Bailey's room when Gertie and Tapeworm finally returned from their break as well.

"I don't know about you guys, but I wish I had a couple more days off. It feels like we just left this place..."

Cody laughed. "Not me. These next couple of weeks will be a welcome break for us. Our last final is on Sunday the 15th, and the next day, we head back to Boston to spend the next week with Mom. Then on the 23rd, we hop a plane to Kansas to spend Christmas with Bailey's family. And then on the 30th, we hop another plane from there to Miami to spend New Year's with Dad. Finally, on the 3rd of January, we fly back to Boston for one last week of cramming for the MCAT. I get tired just thinking about all of that. So I welcome a routine week of classes and then finals compared to all of that..."

Tapeworm paused. "That does sound rough. Well, look on the bright side - at least you're both racking up mad frequent flier miles..."

Bailey sighed. "I guess. I've already bought a big bag of gum for my carry on bag to keep my ears from popping so much."

Gertie nodded. "I know seeing your families will be great, but I can't imagine all that traveling around. And its not like the same clothes will work for both places. I'm sure it will be cold in Kettlecorn but nice and warm in Miami."

"Tell me about it. We're each allowed to check one bag for free before we would have to sell a kidney to pay for a second one. I think we've decided to pack all of our winter wear in one bag and our warmer wear in another. So, one week, we'll live out of one bag, and then the next week, we'll live out of the other."

Cody sighed. "We're really hoping Dad has laundry facilities for stuff like undershirts, underwear and socks..."

By the time the final week of classes was over, Cody and Bailey had turned in all three of their final papers and biochemistry lab report and were ready for reading week and finals. And like had been discussed earlier in the semester, their Friday seminar professor did in fact cancel the last class of the semester. Instead, he would show up and be there for people to drop off their papers. After handing theirs in, Cody and Bailey headed for their secret study place in the library to begin studying in earnest. In reality, it was just a microfiche room that no one ever used, and hardly anyone knew was even there. But, it was secluded, and they could talk among themselves without bothering others.

Friday through Sunday were spent studying for Developmental Biology before they switched over to Biochemistry on Monday. And they spent every waking hour not eating or sleeping studying for it for the next four days. By Friday morning, they were sick of looking at the material and were ready to get the final over with. And when they walked out of it exhausted, Cody turned to Bailey and sighed.

"Well, look at it this way. That part of the MCAT should be extremely fresh in our minds..."

After another day and a half of studying, they took their Developmental Biology exam on Sunday morning. And when they walked out of it, Bailey shook her head.

"Five semesters down, three to go..." She paused and turned to Cody. "How do you feel?"

He shrugged. "Other than tired, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well, the last time we walked out of our last final for the semester..."

He nodded before smiling. "No worries this semester. Nothing wrong with me that a nap won't fix."

"Good."

"You know, I should be happy were done right now, but I'm not. Maybe its the fact that even though were on winter break, we'll still be spending every day of it still studying for a test."

Bailey sighed. "Tell me about it. Cody, right now, starting to plan our wedding actually sounds like fun right now."

Cody laughed. "Gee...thanks."

She laughed too. "You know what I mean. I just think maybe we should hold off studying anymore until we take some time for ourselves."

He grinned. "Trying to tell me something, Sweetie?"

She laughed again. "Again, you know what I mean..."

"I hope you mean what I think you mean..."

Bailey just wrapper her arm around his waist. "You know, to be honest, I don't know what I mean right now. But if you think I mean what I think you're hoping I think I mean, I'm thinking we may be meaning the same thing..."

Cody laughed. "Wow...I actually understood that...I think. Is this that language of our own that Tapeworm keeps talking about?"

She laughed too. "Come on. Lets head back to the dorm. Before we do anything else, we both really need a nap. Either it is our own private language or we've both hit the same level of insanity..."

A nap later, and they were more like themselves. Well, more coherent anyways. They decided to put off packing until the next morning and went out to grab dinner and watch the most mind numbing, stupidest movie they could find. And when they got back to the dorm that night, they finally figured out if they were on the same page in what they both thought and meant.

The next morning, Cody and Bailey had breakfast with Tapeworm and Gertie one final time before leaving for winter break.

Tapeworm shook his head. "I don't think I like it when you guys get done early and I still have a final left to take..."

Cody laughed. "Hey, we lived through you doing the same thing our freshmen years. You'll just have to deal with it now."

Gertie laughed too. "Ignore Dennis. I would say have fun over your break, but from the sounds of it, it will be a lot of work."

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, but we just keep telling ourselves that once we get through all of this, our senior years will be breezes. We hope the old saying of the freshmen year, they scare you to death; sophomore and junior years, they work you to death; and senior year, they bore you to death is true."

"You and me both. Though, I am glad we aren't spending this time back in the hospital again."

Cody nodded. "Me too. I'm just glad I can laugh again without it hurting..."

Tapeworm teased him. "You better be. Somebody around here has to laugh at your lame jokes..."

After breakfast, everyone hugged each other goodbye for one last time until 2014.

"Good luck on the MCAT."

Tapeworm nodded and grinned. "And have fun on your North American Tour..."

A few hours later, Cody and Bailey had their things packed, the car loaded and on the way back to Boston.

_Boston_

While Cody and Bailey were finishing the last of their finals, Zack and Maya were finishing up their brief reading period at BU. Tuesday, the 17th through Sunday, the 22nd, would be their finals period. And through out that week, when they weren't in a final, they were holed up in Zack's suite studying. They barely even knew Cody and Bailey were even back. When they were in the suite, they were in Cody and Bailey's room studying for the MCAT. And when they weren't, they were usually across the hall spending time with Carey.

On the 22nd, Zack and Maya both finished their last final that morning before meeting up to grab lunch.

"So, how was your accounting final?"

Zack sighed. "All things considered, it could have been worse. And your Women's Study final?"

Maya shrugged. "Actually, it wasn't that bad at all."

He narrowed his eyes but was smiling. "I hope so. I'm already suffering from what you learned in one of your classes. As bad as that's been, something tells me things you learned in there could be much, much worse. You know, like the fact that all men are evil..."

She laughed. "Nah. I'm sure some of my classmates hold that view, but it was actually pretty interesting...for a humanities class."

"Saying we should have taken it over that movie class?"

"Yeah. I'm still getting over watching a movie and not looking for hidden meanings..."

Zack sighed. "Tell me about it. I want to watch a shoot 'em up movie and not think think about society's preoccupation with violence."

Maya smiled. "Well, just think, tomorrow, you can sleep in as long as you want..."

"Hardly. While I don't have to work tomorrow, I have my practice GMAT test at 8:00 AM sharp. They want us to take it under the exact same conditions we'll have in January. So, no sleeping in or hitting the snooze button for me..."

"That's right. You'll have to call me once its over and tell me how it went."

Zack sighed again. "It really sucks that you're heading back to New York tonight."

"I know, but my dorm is closing at 5:00. They won't let me stay any longer..."

"But you'll be back on the 29th right?"

She smiled again. "Of course. We have an early flight to Miami the next day. And once I'm back, I'm back for good."

He smiled too. "Good. I'm just going to really miss you while you're gone."

"Me too. And we'll exchange gifts with each other when I get back. I want to see your face when you open them this year."

"Same here." He shook his head. "Your first night back and we'll have to crash early to get to the airport on time."

Maya laughed. "Well, there's a good reason for that. We're meeting Cody and Bailey at the airport in Atlanta before heading on to Miami. That way, your Dad only has to make one trip to pick us all up. Besides, early morning flights were way cheaper."

"I know. But don't be surprised if I sleep all the way to Atlanta."

"I'm actually kind of expecting it..."

Zack sighed again. "Are you sure you can't stay tonight at the Tipton? I'd feel better if you did. You wouldn't have to drive at night plus Cody and Bailey are picking Mimi up at the airport this afternoon. I know she'd love to see you again."

Maya paused to think. "Well, I guess I could do that. If I left when you headed for your test, I'd miss both rush hour traffics in New York..."

He smiled. "See? It makes perfect sense. Lets head on back to your room to get you packed up then."

_Logan International Airport_

Cody and Bailey were in the baggage claim area waiting on his grandmother's flight to arrive with plenty of time to spare. And just getting out of the hotel for a few hours was a relief to them as they both were really getting sick of studying. Both had decided that for the day they and Mimi would both be in town, they would take a break from the grind to spend time with her. Finally, the passengers on her flight began entering the area, and they saw her in the middle of the pack. And immediately, both ran over to hug her.

Mimi hugged them back before smiling at them. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise. You two are usually gone by the time I get here."

Cody smiled back at her. "Well, this time tomorrow, it will be us boarding a plane. But we wanted to spend as much time with you as we could before that."

"I appreciate that. From what your Mom's been telling me, you both aren't getting any kind of a real break at all."

Bailey let out a weak laugh. "You can say that again..."

Mimi smiled. "Well, if any two people can handle it, I know its you two. Can you two manage to take a night off to hang out with an old woman?"

"Of course we can, Mimi. Cody and I would love nothing more."

"Good. Lets get my bags, and we'll head back to the hotel. Besides, I can think of a much more fun topic for us to discuss..."

"Yeah? What's that?"

Mimi grinned again. "Well, for starters, let me get a good look at that ring Cody gave you!"

Bailey smiled as she held out her hand. Mimi just shook her head and whistled. "Wow! I think I need my blue blockers here. That rock is gorgeous..."

"I think so too, Mimi. I couldn't imagine a more perfect ring considering the history behind it."

Mimi turned to Cody. "Well, I guess this another good thing that came out of the Martin side of the family..."

Cody sighed and shook his head. "Mimi..."

She laughed. "Sorry. I couldn't resist myself. I'll try to be better while I'm here considering I know you all will be spending New Year's Eve with Kurt."

"We would appreciate that. Despite what you think, Dad's a really good guy..."

"Well, if you can sire two wonderful boys like you and Zack, he must not be all bad. Okay, lets get back on topic here. I know you two have already picked a date. What else have you decided?"

Bailey shrugged. "Nothing. We've been focusing more on other things like our classes, the MCAT and medical school applications."

Mimi nodded. "I can understand that, but its only a year and a half away now. Some people...like me...are going to have to begin looking for plane tickets. It would be nice if we knew where the destination for those flights was going to be..."

Bailey turned to Cody and sighed. "That's a really good point."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, it is. I think all we know so far is that its going to be outdoors surrounded by nature. Other than that, I have no idea. Once our test is over, we should sit down and discuss this more."

She smiled at him. "I glad you remembered..." She paused. "But you're right. We do need to sit down after the MCAT and make some decisions. Where outdoors we want it should be the first question on our list."

Cody paused himself before smiling. "Well, there is an obvious answer to that question, but it would be completely impossible for us to pull off..."

Mimi spoke up. "And where exactly would that be?"

He grinned. "In Hawaii. It was where our first date was. I guess it would be symbolic for us to go full circle from having our first date there to getting married there..."

Bailey's eyes lit up when she heard that. "Oh my gosh! That would be absolutely perfect! On the beach or maybe along a cliff overlooking the ocean. That would be so romantic!" She paused and slumped her shoulders. "But you're right, Sweetie. The logistics of it would be mind blowing. We have so many friends and family we would want to be there that it just wouldn't make any sense financially."

Mimi spoke up again to interrupt them. "Can I say something?"

Both Cody and Bailey turned to her and nodded. "Of course."

"You only get married once...hopefully. I can still remember my wedding day to your grandfather like it was yesterday. Even with him gone now, I'll still have those memories with me until it is time for me to rejoin him. So, whatever you do for yours, make sure its exactly what you want it to be."

Bailey nodded. "You're absolutely right, Mimi."

She grinned. "And one last thing? Nothing is impossible if you want it badly enough..."

_To be Continued..._

**AN: Okay, I know I'm posting on Tuesday, but I decided to speed up my posting as I've gotten another idea for a story that I'm contemplating writing once this is done. So, here is the deal I'm going to make. As long as I'm averaging 10 reviews a chapter, I will post on Tuesdays, Thursdays and on either Saturday or Sunday. Right now, we're at 97 through 10 chapters for an average of 9.7 reviews a chapter. If the total is up to 110 through 11, I will post again on Thursday and so on.**


	12. From Rags to Riches to Rags Again

_Episode 12_

_"From Rags to Riches to Rags Again"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Kettlecorn_

After spending the rest of the day Sunday with Mimi and having breakfast with her the next morning, Cody and Bailey had to get moving themselves. They had their own flight to catch so they could head out for their week in Kettlecorn. And About 5:30 on that Monday afternoon, Cody and Bailey finally pulled their rental car in front of the Pickett family house. Even though they didn't have any bad weather like the year before, both were still worn out from traveling all day. Even worse, they had spent every single minute in the air continuing to study so they would have the rest of the day to spend with Bailey's family once they arrived. And as they put the car into park, they saw Clyde come out of the barn with a large grin on his face.

"Well, well. You two are actually here on time. We had bets going on whether or not you would..."

Bailey laughed. "Well, it was actually closer than we would have liked. We came really close to missing our connecting flight. Thank goodness we had our tennis shoes on because we only had 45 minutes to get from one concourse to another one on the other side of the airport. You should have seen us doing a mad sprint through the Atlanta airport."

Cody nodded. "I'll never doubt again that its the busiest airport in the world. I think everyone and their mother was traveling through there today."

Clyde laughed himself. "Well, I'm glad it was you two and not me. But its good to have you both back home for a week."

"Good to me home, Daddy."

He turned to Cody. "Did you remember to bring your appendix with you this time? I've been itching to see that thing since this past summer."

"Actually, it should already be here. We put it in the box with all of the Christmas presents we mailed out several days ago. We figured it would be easier to do it that way than to try to explain to airport security why I had a body part in my bag..."

Clyde laughed again. "Come to think of it, probably not a bad idea. Anyways, Eunice and I want to thank you two for taking care of Amy for us while she was back east. She hasn't been able to stop talking about her trip since she got back. Looks like I might soon have two daughters going to an Ivy League school."

Bailey smiled. "Well, we had a lot of fun while she was up there. Now, its all up to her to keep up her grades so that it could become a reality..."

"I don't think you have to worry about that. She's already begun working on her school work for next semester."

Cody rubbed his chin. "Hmmm...Maybe the Pickett sisters are more alike than I thought."

"I don't know about all of that. With Bailey, she loves the farm. Amy may not think we know it, but we know she hates it..."

Bailey's eyes went wide. "You know that?"

Clyde grinned. "There's a lot your mother and I know that you kids don't think we know..."

"Like what?"

He looked at Cody. "You've said when you first saw my daughter here, you thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world, right?"

Cody just nodded. "Yeah, I did..."

Clyde laughed. "Even when she was dressed as a boy?"

Bailey's eyes went wide again. "You know about that? I didn't think anyone here did!"

"Sweetheart, we've known for years now. That Moseby guy mentioned it to us while you were all here during the tornado..."

She sighed. "Well, I guess I'm glad you all know..." She paused before smiling. "But I bet there are still some things that you all don't know about though..."

Clyde got a serious look on his face. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Well, since you guys have ways of finding out, I would deprive you of using them again. For now, we're just happy to be home. Is everyone else inside?"

He nodded. "Your Momma is doing some wash, and your Grammy and Amy are inside being thick as thieves again..."

"Are they planning a surprise or something?"

"You could say that. Seems that not everyone around Kettlecorn was happy that your sister had such a good time up north and wants to go to school up there..."

Bailey frowned. "Who wouldn't be happy about it?"

"Seems there is a young man who has had his eye on your sister for a while now. Word is he punched a hole in his family's barn door when he heard what Amy's future plans were..."

"That must have been the guy she mentioned to me. She basically said he couldn't take a hint that she didn't have the slightest bit of interest in him. She didn't hold back in her low opinion of him either..."

Clyde scratched the back of his head. "Well, its true that the interest definitely is not mutual. And if that was all there was to it, I wouldn't care too much more about it. Unfortunately, its not that easy..."

Cody spoke up. "What else is there?"

"Its who this boy's cousin is. Seems his cousin already has a bone to pick with our family, and I'm afraid this new incident could cause things to get even worse."

Bailey shook her head and sighed. "Let me guess who his cousin is..."

Clyde nodded. "Yup. Its Moose." He sighed. "And to think that I used to really like that boy, but once he showed his true colors, I have no use for him. Anyways, a buddy of mine said he overheard the cousins talking before Amy's trip. The younger one was teasing Moose about how he was going to do something he couldn't – get a Pickett girl and hold on to her. But since Amy came back and told everyone what her plans are, its all changed now. Moose is filling the young one's head full of all kinds of manure about our family."

"Is there anything we can do to help, Clyde?"

He shook his head and smiled. "Nah. Already taken care of. I was going to do something about it, but Momma and Amy said they would handle it. Seems these two boys are going to learn something you and I already know and that boy up at Yale learned the hard way – you don't make a Pickett woman angry and get away with it!"

Bailey laughed. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yeah. Those two have been cooking up a plan for the past couple of weeks. They won't tell me anything about it though. I said it would just be easier for me to go over there with my shotgun and have a couple of words with them, but they said they had something much better planned. They want to teach them a lesson that they'll never forget..." He shrugged. "Hearing that and seeing the expressions on both of their faces, I almost began to feel a little sorry for the boys." He paused again to think. "No, I don't..."

"Well, Daddy, I think we're going to take our things inside. I want to find out exactly what Amy and Grammy are up to."

Clyde nodded, and Cody and Bailey headed inside. And right as they walked in, they found Grammy and Amy sitting on the couch talking. But when they saw Cody and Bailey walk in, they smiled and welcomed them home.

Bailey nodded. "Good to be back. Now, Daddy has told us that you two have been scheming. One, what have you two cooked up? And two, what can we do to help?"

Amy grinned. "Well, as they say, the die is cast. Our plan already in motion." She checked her watch. "Actually, I was about to head out to see the results of it here shortly. I just need to see if Momma needs anything while I'm out." She paused. "Why don't you two come along? I think you both will enjoy this..."

_Boston_

About that same time, Zack was getting off the subway and beginning his short walk back to the Tipton. His test had actually ended about 2:30, but the GMAT class instructor had the class stick around afterwards to go over the answers on the test so they could all see how they had done. Seeing his score, Zack wasn't sure what to think. While it wasn't that bad, it wasn't that good either. Sighing to himself, he realized that as much as he was going to hate it, he really did need to study more for it. He had tried to call Maya from the subway, but he wasn't able to get a signal underground. But as he was now above ground, he pulled out his phone again to try to call Maya. It took about four rings, but she finally answered.

_"Zack?_"

Zack could barely hear her as there was all kinds of noises in the background. "Maya? Can you hear me?"

_She laughed. "Barely. It very loud in here."_

"Where are you?"

_"At the local mall helping my Dad finish up his Christmas shopping." Maya laughed again. "I swear...I think I'm only one of a handful of women in this place today. Why do guys put this off to the last minute? I'm sure glad you didn't..."_

Zack let out a nervous laugh as he remembered two years before. "No idea, Babe. Maybe they don't want to deal with the crowds?"

_"I much rather deal with the ones on Black Friday than today. In fact, It wouldn't surprise me if half the people here couldn't pass a breathalyzer right now."_

"Sounds like fun then. More fun than I had today..."

_"That's right! Your practice test was today. How did it go?"_

He shrugged. "Well, I know I still have more work and studying to do. Right now, I'm exhausted though. I'm thinking on the morning of the 11th, I should drink a case of Red Bulls to give me the energy to get through it..."

_Maya laughed again. "I don't know about all of that, but we'll see what we can do to make sure you start the day off on the right foot. And I've told my parents about you having the GMAT that morning, and they completely understand if you are worn out when you get to the game."_

Zack smiled. "Will they understand me rooting for my Celtics?"

_"Well...I'm not sure if they will or not." She paused and laughed again. "I'm kidding. They also know we like to tease each other over our sports loyalties. Like I've said before, don't worry about this too much. They're going to love you. I just know it."_

"Well, I love you."

_"I love you too." She paused and sighed. "My Dad is asking for my opinion on something for my Mom. Can I call you back later? I promise we'll be able to hear each other much better_ _then."_

"Sure." He grinned. "But if I don't answer, its because I'm taking a nap."

_Maya laughed again. "Well, go take one. You've earned it. See you later, Babe."_

And with that, Zack hung up and realized he was now standing in the middle of the Tipton lobby. He just shrugged and went over to call an elevator. But when the doors opened up, there was his grandmother smiling back at him.

"Finally! I found a familiar face."

He laughed. "Hey, Mimi. What's up?"

"Well, your brother and Bailey left this morning for Kansas and your mother is at her rehearsal right now, so I figured I'd come down to get myself a room service menu. But since you're here, how would you like to take an old woman out to dinner?"

"I'd love to." He offered out his arm. "Where to?"

"Surprise me." She paused. "So, how was your test today?"

"It was...eye opening. I just got done telling Maya that I need to keep studying for it. But then she had to go because she had to help her Dad do some Christmas shopping..."

Mimi smiled. "Ahhh...so I'm just a substitute while she's back in New York, huh?"

"Mimi..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm actually really happy for you. Two years ago, you were miserable. Last year, you were confused. This year, you're happy. And if you're happy, that's all I care about."

He smiled. "Thanks, I am pretty happy."

She laughed. "Well, what kind of long talk are we going to have this year?"

Zack paused. "Actually, there is something you can help me out with..."

_Kettlecorn_

Seems like all of the action was going to take place at the local general store. So, on the way there, Amy filled Cody and Bailey in on what her and Grammy's big payback scheme was. And when Bailey heard it, she couldn't help but laugh. But Cody was a little worried when he heard it.

"With the love of pranks in the Martin genes and deviousness in the Pickett one, something tells me that our kids are going to be real handfuls..."

Bailey was still laughing though. "I think we'll be okay." She turned back to her sister. "Where did you two ever get an idea like that?"

Amy shrugged. "Youtube..."

"Still, there were so many things you had to have go just right. How did you manage to pull it off?"

"Well, I work part time at the general store like you used to at Buck's. And for the other part, I have a friend from school whose Dad runs the local paper. I told her I needed a fake copy of it for my Christmas play I wrote for extra credit. After I got that, everything else was easy..."

A few minutes later, the three of them arrived at the general store under the guise of Amy picking up her paycheck while Cody and Bailey picked up a few items that Eunice said she needed. As they were filling up their little basket, the door swung open, and two guys strutted into the store – Moose and his cousin, Squirrel. Immediately, they headed for the counter and spoke to the owner/operator.

"George, this is your lucky day!"

He looked up at them. "Oh, and why is that?"

"The other day, we bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket right here in your store. Fortune must have been shining down on us, and we won! We're going to be stinking rich now, and we figure you're probably get a share of the prize since we bought it here."

George was impressed. "Wow...well, congratulations to you then!"

Moose just laughed. "Yeah, yesterday, we went ahead and ordered new tractors and harvesters for the farm. And we made a deal with old man Withers next door to buy his farm so we can double the size of ours." Squirrel noticed Amy standing there and smirked. "Bet you're going to regret spurning me now, ain't ya? I'm rich now. But maybe if you grovel, I'll give you a second chance..."

Amy rolled her eyes. "No amount of money could ever make me do that..."

Moose happened to glance over and see Cody and Bailey shopping. "Well, well. If it ain't the Little Feller and Miss Too Good for Kettlecorn. You two go ahead and be doctors now. I'll just sit back at home, do nothing and still have more money than you two could ever dream about having!" He smirked. "And you should see the rock I'm buying for Betty Lou! Its really fancy and called a Zirconium! And best of all, it was made here in America!"

Bailey was biting her tongue to keep from laughing out loud, but Cody just shook his head and faked a sigh. "Yeah, Moose...you got me there. The ring I gave Bailey was made in Sweden, so I guess that means its worthless..."

"Darn right it does! Everyone knows the best stuff comes from here!"

Bailey turned to Cody and whispered. "Should we tell him the truth about the one I'm wearing and the one he's planning on buying?"

He shook his head. "I wouldn't. I don't feel like explaining to him the difference in cubic zirconia and real diamonds. Besides, I doubt he'd understand even if we did..."

"Good point."

George spoke up. "You boys got the ticket on you? I can call it into the state lottery headquarters for you and get the ball rolling."

Moose laughed. "Sure do." He reached into his pocket and handed the ticket to George. And George looked at it as he reached to pick up the phone. But when he finally got a good look at the ticket, he put the phone back down.

"Ummm...guys. This isn't a winning ticket. You don't have any of the right numbers..."

Squirrel frowned. "Of course we do!" He pulled the newspaper out of his coat pocket and showed it to George. "See, right here! Our numbers match perfectly!"

George looked at the paper and frowned. "This is weird..." He grabbed another copy of the paper off the counter and looked at it. And then he grabbed another one and looked at it. In the next few minutes, he looked at ever single copy of the paper he had in the store. And after he looked at the last one, he just shook his head. "Sorry, boys. But these are the right numbers in these other papers. I don't know where you got the paper you got in your hand right there..."

"But I got it out of the..." Squirrel paused before turning to glare at Amy. "...trashcan after she threw it away!"

Amy shrugged. "Oh, that paper? I used it for a prop in my school play. If you had shown up to see it, you would have known that. Once it was over, I threw the paper away as it was completely worthless..."

It was dawning on both cousins that they had been had, and they began to get really angry. "Why you little...you set us up! I'm going to kill you!"

Bailey shook her head. "Did you not hear what she said? She threw that away after using it for a school project. Why would she think you would take it out of the trash and rely on it?"

Moose glared at her. "And I bet you two were in on this! But this time, its time for revenge. I'll call the police and sue your family for everything you have!"

Cody laughed. "Call the police and sue them for what? For throwing away trash? You both admitted you took the paper of the trashcan, and there are witnesses hear who can testify that they heard you admit to that. Only an idiot would have relied solely on it before they verified their ticket somewhere else. And only an even bigger idiot would spend money they didn't already have. No need to get all upset by it. Besides, don't you know by now that if you get upset, you'll end up lying in a ditch wearing an eye patch?" He paused and turned to Bailey. "I think I watched way too much television while I was recovering from my appendectomy..."

She smiled at him. "I think you're right...but look at this way, you and Daddy have something else to bond over as you both love the Duck Dynasty show on A&E..."

He sighed. "You're right. Help me, but for some reason that show is addictive..."

"I think its because the two brothers in it remind you of you and Zack..." Bailey turned back to face Moose and Squirrel. "But the point is that maybe this will teach you both a lesson. Mainly, stop being so stupid!" She turned to George. "I think we're ready to check out now."

He nodded. "Sure thing. And congratulations again on your engagement, Bailey. Your sister told me your ring has been in your beau's family for over a thousand years. If there is anything in this shop worth a small fortune, I would say that it's that..."

Cody smiled. "Maybe, but the lady who wears it is priceless."

Bailey paid George before smiling at Cody. "So is her feller. Come on, Sweetie. Lets go home." Before she did though, she turned back to Moose. "I wasn't planning on saying anything, but I feel I have to now. A cubic zirconia is not a diamond. Its a cheap replica that only looks like one. If you want to give Betty Lou a real one, just take the lump of coal you'll find in your stocking this year and shove it up your..."

"Bails!"

She sighed. "You're right, Sweetie. Best just to walk away."

"Right..." Cody turned to Moose. "But, if you do feel the need to try to make trouble for the Pickett family anymore, I would advise you against it. That's my family now too, and I don't take kindly to people trying to cause problems for my family..."

Amy spoke up. "I would advise you two to never talk to us, bother us, or even speak about our family ever again. Because if you do..." She glared at Squirrel. "...I'll have you arrested for threatening to kill me and have a restraining order slapped against you so fast it'll make your head spin!"

The two cousins looked at each other before shaking their heads. "Lets get out of here, Moose. You're right, they ain't worth it..."

Moose just nodded. "Fine..." He smirked at Bailey. "But good luck getting the church for that day you planned on getting married. I already reserved it for then! And Betty Lou don't need some fancy ring. She knows she has a real man in me!"

With that, the two cousins headed back out in the evening. After they left, Bailey turned back to Cody. "I swear...I think he gets dumber and dumber every year..."

Cody laughed. "You won't get any arguments from me. Though, I don't envy them having to cancel those deals they've already maid. Something tells me it won't be as easy as they hope it will be..."

Bailey laughed too. "That is true. They could both be in debt for a long time. All I can say now is - Good luck, Betty Lou, you're going to need it!"

"Unfortunately, he just eliminated a possible location for us to get married..."

She just smiled. "Its okay. The preacher at the church already told Momma that he would be happy to perform our ceremony. We just have to tell him where it will be. So, he might have the church, but not much he can do without the minister..."

_Boston_

Zack and Mimi decided to hit the local pizza place near the Tipton. And after they placed their order, Mimi turned to her grandson.

"Alright, Zack...what exactly can I help you with this year?"

"Well, Mimi, the day I take my real test, I'm also finally meeting Maya's parents that afternoon. She keeps telling me not to worry about it, but I can't help it. I talked to Cody to get his advice since he's been through this with Bailey's parents, but I think you can give me advice from a different viewpoint."

"Oh?"

"Well, lets face it. Mom had several boyfriends growing up, and its no secret that you never liked Dad. Since you've been in this situation before, I want your advice from the vantage point of the parent. I'm sure you can tell me what to do and what not to do..."

Mimi laughed. "Well, I guess I do know a little something about that, don't I?"

"So, what are the things I should avoid doing?"

She paused. "Well, for one, just be yourself. Don't try to be someone that your not. And please, don't act like an Eddie Haskell..."

Zack just looked at her in confusion. "A who?"

"He was a character..." She shook her head. "Never mind. That was before your time. Just don't be fake in how you act. And don't try to kiss her parents' butts. I hated when boys would try to do that to me. I always saw right through it from the start."

Zack nodded. "Alright. What else?"

"Well, also dress nice and be reasonably well groomed. And make sure you shave before you go. And wear clean clothes."

He sighed. "That might be a problem. Its the same day as my test, and we're all going to a Celtics game first. And then, we're going out to eat afterwards. My test should be over by about two thirty, and the game starts at five. I'm sure I'll look rough after the test, so that gives me about an hour and a half to get home, get cleaned up and changed. Plus, its a basketball game, so a shirt and tie wouldn't really be appropriate for it, but I'm not sure what I would normally wear to a game would be appropriate for afterwards..."

Mimi nodded. "Hmmm. Quite the quandary then..." She paused. "When we get back to the hotel, we'll see what you have in your closet. If we can't find anything suitable, we'll have a few days to go shopping after Christmas." She smiled. "We might even catch one heck of a sale."

"Thanks, Mimi. I'm just so nervous about meeting Maya's parents. And I've never been nervous about that before..."

"Because you've never felt about anyone the way you do about Maya before. Besides, I'm sure they are just as nervous to meet you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Hmmm. Lets see. Their daughter left the Peace Corps early to return home only to move to Boston. And why did she do that? Because she was in love with a guy that she chased for a whole year before he caught her."

Zack sighed again. "Great. I'll bet their expectations will be through the roof, and then, they'll meet me."

"Zack...go easy on yourself. You're a wonderful young man with a bright future ahead of you."

"You're just saying that because you're my grandmother."

Mimi smiled. "Okay, I'm biased. But guess who else is? Maya. She loves you, and I think that should be all that matters to you."

"You really think so?"

"I do. I bet I can call you that night, and you'll tell me everything went fine."

Zack sighed. "I sure hope so."

"Me too." She grinned and began laughing. "You know, Zack. These little talks we've had the past three years have been fun. I can only wait to see what you have in store for me next year..."

_Kettlecorn_

By the time they got back to the farmhouse, dinner was ready. And throughout dinner, everyone kept asking Bailey and Cody to give them the updates on school, their test, medical school applications and their wedding. Bailey just laughed and told them that only the first two had any progress made on them. She did promise to keep them informed once anything else was decided. After dinner, Grammy Pickett pulled Amy, Bailey and Cody aside and wanted to hear about everything that happened while they were out earlier. And when she heard the tale, she laughed so hard, her dentures almost flew out.

Eventually, it got late, and Cody and Bailey were still sitting on the couch. He turned to her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

She smiled at him. "I'm positive. Daddy claims they know more than we think they do. Might as well get everything out in the open then..."

He paused and smiled. "Well, not everything I hope..."

Bailey laughed. "Behave yourself while we're here. Now, lets go get changed into our pajamas, and I'll meet you back here in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, they returned and began removing the cushions from the couch. Cody just shook his head and sighed.

"I wish I had known this was a pull out sofa before..."

"Well, now you do. Come on, lets pull it out."

They did and began putting sheets, blankets and pillows on it. And as they were doing that, Clyde came walking through the den after locking up the house for the night. And before he headed upstairs, he glanced over at them.

"You helping Cody get the couch ready?"

Bailey smiled. "Sort of, Daddy. We're helping each other get the couch ready for the both of us."

Clyde was confused. "Huh?"

She kept smiling. "Well, its come to my understanding that you already know that Cody and I like to sleep next to each other at night. I guess you were right in that you know more than we thought you did. And since you already know, I don't see the point of hiding it anymore, do you?"

__To be Continued...__

**AN: I made an offer and everyone took me up on it. So, here is another chapter. And good luck to everyone's favorite football teams as they hold the NFL Draft tonight. As a Bengals fan, I'm sitting here extremely nervous trying to figure out how they are going to blow it this year...**


	13. Grandmothers Know Best

_Episode 13_

_"Grandmothers Know Best"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Kettlecorn_

Clyde immediately stopped dead in his tracks and just stared at his daughter. He could only stand there dumbstruck by the bomb Bailey had just dropped on him. And for her part, Bailey still stood there with a big smile on her face waiting for her father to finally say something. Since she had always read that the person who broke the silence usually was on the losing end of a confrontation, She was more than willing to just keep smiling as her father and wait for him to say anything no matter how long it took. While she was feeling pretty confident, Cody, on the other hand, just stood there looking back and forth between his fiancee and his soon to be father-in-law. And as the seconds ticked by slowly, he began to grow more and more panicked the longer that neither of them said anything. He began to get a bad feeling as all sorts of horror scenarios ranging from being thrown out of their house to Clyde getting his shotgun began to run through his mind. Cody decided to break the silence himself and try to defuse the situation as best as he could. However, as if she could read his mind, Bailey squeezed his hand as if telling him to just hold on a little while longer. He could only nod though despite the turmoil that was not churning in his stomach. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Clyde closed his eyes, shook his head and looked at his daughter again.

"Excuse me? What did you just say?"

Bailey was still smiling though. "Well, Daddy, you surprised me when you told us that you knew things that us kids didn't think you any clue about. Well, I know some things too that you didn't think I knew, so it looks like its my turn to surprise you..."

He could only nod. "Yeah, you could consider me surprised..."

"Daddy, lets just say its come to my attention that you and Momma already know that Cody and I like to sleep in the same bed with each other. Well, now that you know and we know that you know, I don't see the big deal in hiding it any longer. Besides, he is my fiance now, and you did give him your blessing to propose to and marry me."

Clyde began stammering. "Well, yea...but..."

She interrupted him. "And its come to my attention that you and Momma did the same thing while you two were engaged, right?"

Clyde's eyes went wide. "How did you know about that?"

Bailey just giggled. "Oh, I have my sources..."

He sighed and shook his head again. "Your grandmother. I should have known she would tell you..."

"It doesn't matter where I heard it from. It doesn't make it any less true, does it?"

Clyde began stammering again. "Well, it might be true, but that doesn't..."

She interrupted him again. "So, there's really no difference is there then, right? I mean, you and Momma did it, and look how well things have turned out for you two. You know, what's good for the goose and the gander, right?"

Unable or unwilling to formulate a response to that, Clyde turned his attention to Cody. He wasn't sure why, but it seemed like every time he tried to counter one of his daughter's arguments, she had another one to trump him. And from the look of absolute terror on Cody's face, Clyde figured out that none of Bailey's surprise had been Cody's idea. That while Cody was in this as much as Bailey was, he would have been just as happy to keep this to themselves until they were married. Still, he was willing to try anything to deflect this away from him.

"Cody, do you agree with Bailey on this?"

Cody swallowed. "Well, Sir...Bailey is correct. I do enjoy her being the last thing I see before I go to sleep and first thing I see when I wake up. And I know in some places, couples wait until they are married before this happens, but..."

Bailey cut him off this time. "I don't know about all of that. I think we've seen it happen with us in New England and with my parents here in Kettlecorn. But you never answered my question, Daddy. Is there a difference in what you and Momma did and what Cody and I are doing?"

Clyde just hung his head and sighed. "No, technically, I guess there isn't one. But to me, there is a huge difference because you are my daughter and my little girl..."

Bailey just shook her head. "I'm not so little anymore, Daddy. I'm twenty years old, and I happen to be engaged to the man I plan on spending the rest of my life with. I don't see any difference at all unless its a completely hypocritical one..."

Clyde sighed again. "I know that, Sweetheart, but wait until you are a parent yourself. Then, you'll understand what I'm feeling right now." He turned to Cody. "Just wait until your daughter tries to have this same conversation with you one day..."

Cody could only nod. "With all due respect, Sir, I can't say I have any idea what that would be like. But, I can only hope I'll take it as well as you are doing right now."

Clyde was about to say something else when all three of them heard a voice come from the the stairs.

"What's going on down here?"

The three of them looked up to see Grammy Pickett standing there with her arms crossed and a frown on her face. Bailey was the one to speak up.

"Oh, hey Grammy. I just told Daddy that I'm sleeping down here with Cody since he already knows that we do that already. And even though he already knows, I don't think he's too happy about it..."

Grammy just turned her gaze to her son. "Clyde, I thought we had discussed and settled this a year ago. Now, you leave them alone and go on to bed yourself. They ain't doing anything wrong!"

He sighed. "But Momma..."

"But nothing! Go on now! Off to bed with you!"

Clyde slumped his shoulders, hung his and began heading on upstairs as Grammy just shook her head at him.

"I swear..." She turned to Cody and Bailey. "I thought this was settled. Anyways, goodnight to the both of you. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite..."

Both just smiled as she spoke. "Goodnight to you too, Grammy."

"And if he tries to give you two any more lip about this, you just let me know. I have some more stories about him that will make his face turn red as a beet!"

When he heard that, Clyde stopped dead in his tracts. "Momma!"

"Clyde...Face it. Bailey is a grown woman now who has herself a wonderful feller. I know all you want for your girls is for them to be happy. Bailey is happy, so can't you be happy for her?"

He sighed. "Fine, I guess I'll just have to accept it...I can't wait till all of my daughters are through with growing up..." He shook his head. "Goodnight all." And with that, he just headed on to his room.

Grammy just laughed. "Don't matter how old he gets, he knows better than not to listen to his Momma. Well, goodnight to the both of you again. I'm sure you two are tired after you're long day, and I'll see you in the morning..." And with that, Grammy headed up to her room too.

Cody turned to Bailey and sighed. "Okay, that was a close one..."

Bailey just laughed. "Well, it over now, and we don't have to worry about it anymore."

He paused as he thought of something. "You think my Mom will get on me like that when we're older and have kids of our own?"

She just grinned. "I sure hope so...especially if you act as stubborn as my Dad just did."

_Boston_

The next two days in Boston were spent with Mimi helping Zack put together an outfit she deemed appropriate for him to wear to meet Maya's parents. Of course, going through his closet, she didn't find anything that she felt would work. So, on Christmas Eve, they went out and took advantage of the day before Christmas sales. And after looking around all day, they finally found something she thought would work perfectly. And later that night, when Zack called Maya, he had to admit she has been absolutely right about something.

"I went to the mall this afternoon with Mimi. And I'm pretty sure that she was one of only a handful of women there and that we were the only sober ones too..."

_Maya laughed. "What we're you guys doing at the mall today of all days?"_

Zack sighed. "Mimi and I went shopping so I would have an appropriate outfit to wear to the game and meet your parents in..."

_"Really? Zack, I keep telling you that this is not that big of a deal..."_

"Easy for you to say. You've already met my family, and they all really like you. I only have one chance to make a first impression with yours."

_Maya shook her head. "I wish you wouldn't worry about this so much..."_

"I'll just be glad when its over. Anyways, I'm supposed to be meeting Mom and Mimi for dinner downstairs in a few minutes. I should let you go then. Merry Christmas, Babe. Love you."

_"Love you too, and Merry Christmas to you too as well. I'll talk to you tomorrow."_

Christmas Day finally came, and in Boston, it was Zack, Mimi and Carey all sitting around the breakfast table after opening the gifts they had for each other. Once again, Zack just had to smile and act like new socks and underwear were what he really wanted. Of course, pausing to think about it, he realized he actually did need them. That sent a shiver down his spine as he realized it was another step on the road of him growing up. As they sat around the table, the ladies were sipping on coffees and chatting about anything and everything. But, Zack was hitting the wall and realizing he had gotten up way to early once again. So, he sat there with his elbow on the table and his arm propping up his head.

Carey just shook her head. "Zack, if you aren't careful, you're going to fall asleep in your..." She paused and frowned. "Raisin Bran Crunch? That's the stuff I eat that to get my daily fiber. What are you doing eating it? I mean...it doesn't have marshmallows or anything sugar coated..."

He sighed. "Maya has me on a new breakfast routine. Supposedly, this is healthier for me, and I won't have the sugar highs and subsequent crashes any more..."

Carey could barely hold back her laughter. "Is that so? I'm really impressed that she's having better luck getting you to eat healthier when Cody and I failed so miserably at it. What else does she having you doing?"

"Well...she makes me get fat free pudding cups now too..."

Mimi grinned. "That's good. But it still looks like you're about to fall asleep, Honey."

Zack sighed again. "I am still half asleep, Mimi. I haven't had a chance to sleep in for weeks now with work and school and finals and the GMAT. I wouldn't mind going back to bed for a couple of hours right now..."

She just laughed. "Times really have changed. I remember when the two boys were up at dawn on Christmas mornings and couldn't wait to see what Santa brought them. And then they would be up for hours playing with their new toys. Now, Zack just wants to go back to bed."

Carey sighed. "Tell me about it. I still remember when they found out there wasn't a Santa Claus..."

Zack let out a small laugh. "Good thing Cody isn't here to hear you say that. If he was, we'd have to listen to another half hour lecture about the real St. Nicholas and how he did actually secretly put coins in the shoes of people who left them out for him..."

Mimi smiled. "I think I know that story by heart now. And then there is also the one about how Christmas was chosen to be this time of year to compete with the pagan winter solstice holiday. That boy was always coming up with fun and interesting stories like those. I can only imagine what else he's learned down there at Yale..."

Carey shook her head. "It still blows my mind that my two boys are a year and a half away from being college graduates. Seems like it was just yesterday I was going to the boat for their high school graduation."

"Tell me about it. And about a month after that, you'll officially have a daughter-in-law and me a granddaughter-in-law." Mimi paused and winked at Zack. "Who knows? Maybe we'll both soon have two..."

If Zack was nodding off before then, that instantly woke him up. "Whoa, whoa! Back up there, Grandma! While Cody may be engaged, I'm nowhere near that point yet!"

She just smiled at him. "Sure you aren't, Honey..."

"I'm not! We've only been back together since May!"

Mimi looked at him knowingly. "Oh, I know..."

Zack frowned and realized his grandmother was ignoring his protestations. Sighing, he just stood up. "I'm going back to bed..."

Once he left the suite, Carey turned to her mother. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, come on. Maya is making him eat healthier, and he's okay with it? And did you notice how he just said he wasn't at that point YET? He never denied that it was a possibility down the road. Face it Carey, I think Zack has finally met his match."

Carey paused to consider that before sighing herself. "Great...Not that I'm not happy for both my boys, but what does it say that they are both in happy and healthy relationships and I've got nothing?"

Mimi smiled. "Well, why aren't you out looking for someone yourself? You still got the family good looks. Hey...whatever happened to that nice young man who worked here with you? You know...the tall one with glasses they were taped together? He was such a sweetheart."

Carey just gave her mother a look. "Are you talking about Arwin?"

"That's his name! And don't give me that look, Cary. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that young man. He always seemed very sweet on you..."

Carey shook her head and laughed. "You actually liking a guy who has shown interest in me? This is a first..."

_Kettlecorn_

Even though they were back in Kettlecorn visiting the Pickett family, Cody and Bailey still spent several hours the next couple of days continuing to study for the MCAT. Everyone else just shook their heads when they caught them engrossed in the subject matter. While they were proud of them for their diligence, they were glad it wasn't them having to do it. But before they headed out to the Christmas Eve candlelight service, Cody and Bailey closed their books as they had promised themselves that they would have all day Christmas off from studying. And on Christmas morning, everyone was sitting around opening their presents after a large breakfast. When came time for Cody to open another of his, he opened up an envelope from Bailey, and his jaw almost hit the floor in surprise when he saw what it was.

"Bails! You got me the 4 in 1 printer I've been wanting for like forever? But it was so expensive!"

She smiled at him. "Well, it wasn't so bad when I ordered through a Cyber Monday special. And I know how much you really wanted it, so I hope you like it."

He smiled back. "Like it? I love it. Though, its probably a good thing its back in Boston waiting on me and not here. I'd probably have it out of the box and playing with it right now." He laughed. "It be like I was six years old all over again..."

She laughed too. "Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. Plus, I didn't think we'd want to have to ship it back or tote it around to Miami with us."

"Probably a Good call. Your turn again, Sweetie. Open your last one from me."

Bailey just smiled again. Thus far, she had a pretty good idea of what had been in every single gift Cody had placed in her lap so far. But this last one, she looked at the size of the box and had no clue what could have been inside of it. So, she just opened it, and like Cody had a few minutes ago, her jaw almost fell to the floor in surprise.

"A video camera? Cody..."

He just grinned. "I got a good deal too on Cyber Monday too. I believe I remember you saying on Thanksgiving how you would love to have one so you could capture our upcoming big moments. Well, Miss Pickett, I'm ready for my close up."

She leaned over and kissed him. "I did say that, and I love it. Thank you for remembering, and I can't wait to use it all the time. Plus, we can take it with us to Miami next week and capture what good weather looks like in case we need to be reminded of what it looks this winter."

"Sounds good to me." He paused. "Speaking of weather, its not so bad outside right now. How about we go for our annual Christmas morning walk around the farm?"

Bailey just paused and looked at him. "Are you sure? Our last two times we've done that, we've been interrupted..."

Cody smiled. "I know, but they do say that the third time is the charm."

"That's true I guess. Alright, let me go grab some shoes and my coat, and we'll head out."

As soon as Bailey left the room, Clyde sat down next to Cody on the couch. He leaned in and whispered.

"Okay, how are you doing this? It seems like you always get Bailey exactly what she wants. Which trick are you using"

Cody grinned and whispered back. "Easy. On the day after Thanksgiving, I used the bathroom trick. You know, once she sees something she likes, I make a mental note of it. Later, I make an excuse to go to the bathroom when I'm really going back to the store and asking the clerk to lay it away for me. I go back later when Bailey isn't with me and buy it."

Clyde nodded. "Not a bad one to use..." He paused. "...when you're your age. I can't get away with that nowadays. I tried that last year, and Eunice go so concerned I was having trouble with my prostate that she made me go see a doctor after the first of the year. After the horrors of it, I've been looking for a new plan..."

Cody could only cringe. "Yeah, I guess I can see how that could backfire..."

"And what was that with the video camera? You actually remembered her saying that?"

"Oh yeah. Every time Bailey mentions something she'd like or could really use, I have a little notebook I write it down in. If its something she really needs, I move it to the top of the list and get it for her for the next gift giving holiday. And bigger items I save for for Christmas or her birthday. To be honest, I was struggling to find a big gift for her this year, and when she mentioned the video camera, I knew I had hit pay dirt."

"Not a bad idea. Mind if I borrow that notebook idea myself?"

Cody smiled. "Not at all..."

Of course, unbeknownst to the two of them, Amy had happened to walk behind the couch and stopped when she heard the topic of their conversation. After everything Bailey and Maya had told her, she had to do everything she could to keep from bursting out laughing. A few minutes later, Bailey returned, and she and Cody headed outside into the cold, crisp morning air. And almost from the beginning, Bailey was keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

"What are you doing?"

"Just being alert."

Cody smiled. "I'm pretty sure we're all alone out here. After a few days ago, I don't think we'll be seeing he who shall not be named..."

"I sure hope so. He's like a fruitcake...in more ways than one. It seems like on Christmas, he seems to show up when no one wants to see him."

He paused and laughed. "Fair analogy. Anyways, with us sharing the couch at nights, I have you all alone then, so I guess I really don't need this time to get you all to myself like I have the past two years."

Bailey smiled. "Are you complaining about having me all alone now?"

"Not at all." He cupped her face and gave her a deep kiss. "But I still prefer doing that without a potential audience around..."

She sighed in contentment. "Mmm...me too."

They continued walking until Cody noticed something. He reach down and grabbed her hand. "Come on, follow me. I have an idea..."

Bailey just followed him, and the next thing she knew, they were both down in the storm shelter.

"Cody, what are we doing down here?"

He smiled. "Well, my original plan had been to propose to you on your birthday this past summer or maybe even this Christmas. I guess I just wanted to get an idea of the conditions I would have been facing."

She laughed. "And?"

"Well, while its kind of cold down here, I do think this probably would have been a little more romantic or at least more symbolic than doing it from a hospital bed..."

Bailey pulled him in for a kiss. "Maybe, but either way, I'm your fiancee and you're all mine. That's all that matters to me. And I loved the way you did propose to me, so I wouldn't change a thing." She paused. "Besides...you're right. Its freezing down here, lets head back inside!"

_Boston_

Christmas had finally come and passed. It was now Sunday the 29th, and Zack found himself alone in his suite completely bored out of his mind. Since it was the weekend and he was off from work until after the first of the year, he had nothing he had to be doing. Well, there was studying for the GMAT, but like Cody and Bailey, he was getting sick of looking at the material. But that little annoying voice in the back of his head kept reminding him that he hadn't done as well on the practice test as he could have, and that he really did need to study. Zack was really beginning to hate that voice especially since he could swear it sounded just like Cody. So, grumbling to himself, he picked up his study guide and began looking through it once again. By that afternoon, he was hoping Maya would get back soon so he would have an excuse to stop studying for the night.

About four o'clock, there was a knock at the door. And when Zack answered it, he found Maya standing there smiling at him with all of her bags at her feet. He just looked at her in surprise.

"Maya? Why didn't you give me a call? I would have come down to help you haul your things up here."

She grinned. "Because I knew you were probably studying, and I didn't want to interrupt you any more than I had to."

He laughed. "Believe me. I would have welcomed the break."

Maya shook her head. "You already won't get much done starting tomorrow. Visiting your Dad in Miami will be your break. So until I get back later tonight, I want you to do nothing but study. I've already called your mother and grandmother, and the three of us are going out to see a movie so we won't bother or distract you." She smiled. "When I get back, I'll bring us back some food. So, we'll take a dinner break before we exchange our gifts."

Zack just looked at her. "Wait a minute. You're going to a movie with my mother and grandmother while you expect me to stay here and study?"

"Exactly." She leaned in and kissed him. "See you in a little while, Babe. Its good to be back in Boston."

He slumped his shoulders. "Yeah, its good to have you back..."

"And don't worry, I've already spoken with Esteban downstairs. The airport shuttle will be here to take us to the airport at 6:30 in the morning."

He groaned. "6:30? But our flight isn't until 8:30!"

"I know. But, we have to be there 90 minutes before our flight, and it will take us about 30 minutes to get there."

Zack hung his head. "Well, I guess I can do this for one more day. At least this time tomorrow, we'll be surrounded by palm trees instead of wind chills hovering around zero."

Maya smiled. "That's the spirit!" She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Okay, I'm heading out. You be a good boy while I'm gone."

And like that, she was gone just as quickly as she had appeared. Zack just groaned as he looked back down at his book.

"I'll be so happy once this stupid test is finally done with..."

Several hours later, the door to the suite opened again, and Maya walked in carrying a pizza and some soft drinks.

"Alright, I'm back, and you can stop studying for the night. And since you were such a good sport about this, I brought you a treat..."

Zack slammed his book shut. "Thank goodness! Its time to actually have some fun!"

She smiled at him. "For a couple hours. Zack, its eight thirty, and I plan on being asleep by ten thirty. We have a very long day tomorrow."

He whine again. "But I just now get to see you again!"

"I know, but you'll have me all next week." She grinned. "Plus, its time for us to exchange presents."

Zack nodded before smiling himself. "That's right. I think you'll like everything I got you."

Maya just gave him a knowing look. "I'm sure I will."

And like Bailey had before, Maya could almost guess every single one of her gifts before she opened it. And she absolutely loved her new pair of boots as well. But the last gift Zack gave her, she kept racking her brain thinking of what could be inside of it, but she was coming up with nothing. When she opened it though, she had to double check to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

"A Tom Brady jersey? Really, Zack?"

He just smiled and winked at her. "Well, you said you always sleep in your Manning jersey in your dorm room. I figured I'd give you a jersey to keep here to sleep in whenever you stay with me."

Maya could only shake her head.

_Kettlecorn_

About the same time about 1,500 miles away in Kettlecorn, Cody and Bailey were loading up their rental car so they get back on the road. Since their flight left out the next morning at 7:30 in the morning, it just made sense for them to head on to Wichita that night. Plus, Moseby had hooked them up with a complimentary room in one of the airport hotels. And after they finished loading up everything, they turned to say goodbye to everyone.

"Well, I guess this is it. Time for us to head out..."

Eunice sighed. "Seems like you two just got here. Are you sure you can't stay any longer?"

"I wish we could, Momma. But if we stayed here tonight, we'd have to go to bed right now so we could get on the road at three o'clock in the morning. I know you guys get up early here, but that's way too early for you all to wake up. Plus, we'll be right there by the airport and won't have to worry about driving tomorrow half asleep."

Clyde nodded. "I guess that makes sense. When will we see you both again?"

Bailey smiled. "For me, it will probably be Mother's Day. For Cody, well...we'll get back to you on that once we know for sure. If all goes well, we might have a medical school interview close by to here we can take care of while were here..."

They hugged everyone goodbye before Grammy Pickett spoke up.

"Before you two get on the road, would you two mind coming up to my room real quick. I have something I want to show you both."

Bailey and Cody just nodded figuring a few minutes wouldn't hurt anything, and they followed Grammy up to her room. Once there, she shut the door behind her to give them some privacy.

"Now, something you both said this summer actually stuck with me and got me to thinking. Bailey, you said wearing that ring from Cody's family made you feel like a real part of the Martin family..." She went over to her jewelry box and grabbed a couple of items. "...well, I know these aren't as old or fancy as it, but I'd like you two to have these if you want them."

She opened up her hand and showed them two plain gold bands.

"Grammy, what are they?"

Grammy smiled at them. "Honey, they are your Grampa's and my wedding bands. Like with what happened with your Grandpa, my fingers are too thin for me to wear mine any more. When he couldn't wear his anymore, he put it on a chain for me to wear around my neck. Instead of being buried with them, I'd be honored and I know your Grandpa would be honored too if you two wanted to wear them as your own."

Cody eyes went wide when he heard that. "Wow..." He collected himself. "Grammy, it would be me that would be honored to wear them..."

Bailey nodded and smiled. "So would I, Grammy. I couldn't imagine us having any more perfect wedding bands..."

Cody smiled. "Neither can I. It will make me feel like a real part of the Pickett family."

Grammy smiled at him. "Cody, you already are a member of this family. Don't let anyone ever tell you any different..."

He smiled back. "Still, thank you so much for your offer. I just wish I could have gotten to meet Grampa Pickett."

"Oh, I know he would have loved to have met you too. He loved all of his grandchildren, but he told me when Bailey was little that she was going to be a firecracker..."

"I would concur..."

Grammy kept grinning. "I think he would have loved to have met the man who was able to capture her heart. Besides, while you two may not have been a lot alike in some areas, you do remind me of him in several others..."

Bailey spoke up. "Yeah? Like what, Grammy?"

"Well, for one, your Grandpa's eyes would always light up when he saw me walk into a room just like Cody's do when you do the same. For another, he and my Dad had a rocky beginning too, but they ended up becoming quite close later on. I guess when a father sees that a feller truly loves his daughter, it settles any kinds of differences they might have."

"I guess so..."

Grammy looked around and leaned in close. "And no one else knows this, but your Grandpa was one heck of a cook himself. He loved to do tinker around the kitchen with me but he couldn't let anyone know that. Back then, it wasn't considered very manly..."

Cody sighed. "Still isn't..."

Grammy laughed. "Well, maybe, but we used to have so much fun messing around in the kitchen together. Sometimes, we would end up in a food fight with each other..."

"Yeah...we've had one of those ourselves..."

She winked at them. "Probably not the kind we had. You know the ones where the oven isn't the only thing that gets heated up..." She paused. "Then again, I'm pretty sure you two do know all about that..."

Both Cody and Bailey's eyes went wide. "Grammy!"

"Oh, settle down! I may be old, but I'm not stupid..."

Cody swallowed and tried to change the subject. "Anyways, we humbly accept your offer of the wedding bands..."

She grinned. "Good. You'll probably have to get them re-sized so that they fit you. I used to babysit the owner of the jewelry store up in Kettlepot. Get your ring measurements, send them to me, and I'll get that taken care of myself."

Bailey leaned in and hugged her grandmother. "Thank you so much for these, Grammy." She paused. "And...for other things."

"Its my pleasure. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone else about what I suspect. Anyways, I just hope they bring you two the luck that they brought to your Grandpa and I..." She shook her head and sighed. "How I loved that man..."

"Just like I love mine..."

"I know. Alright, you two better get going." She grinned again. "Because if you don't, I'm going to take your tickets and go to Miami myself! And I don't think anyone there wants to see me in a bikini down there!"

_To be Continued..._

**AN: Okay, with the Kentucky Derby less than a week away, if anyone has some insider information, I'm all ears...lol**_  
><em>


	14. The Suite Life on South Beach

_Episode 14_

_"The Suite Life on South Beach"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Wichita_

When their wake up call came at five o'clock that next morning, Cody and Bailey were immediately thankful for three things. One, they had dropped off their rental car the night before and wouldn't have to worry about dealing with it that morning. Two, while they had been on central time for a week, their bodies were still on eastern time. So, even though it was five AM local time, it still felt like 6 AM to them which wasn't that much earlier than they usually got up. Third and finally, they were glad they had already laid out their clothes to wear that day the night before. Though they were both still tired, all they had to do was shower and get dressed that morning.

Bailey yawned. "You want the shower first or you want me to take it?"

Cody yawned too. "To be honest, I think we should take one together. But before you say anything else, I'm not thinking _that_...this morning. I just don't trust myself not to fall asleep in there..."

She could only nodded. "Yeah, I might be tempted to do the same. In addition to waking us up, the hot water should be very soothing..." She forced herself to get up and grabbed Cody's arm. "Come on, lets get a move on then. The sooner we do, the sooner we can get over to the airport. Hopefully, we'll have time to grab breakfast or something in the terminal before we have to board."

"Works for me. Just don't be surprised if I fall back asleep on the plane..."

A half hour later, they were showered and slightly more awake then they had been. After packing away their pajamas, they lugged their bags downstairs, checked out and were just in time to catch the 5:45 shuttle over to the airport. And once they got there, they checked their bags and got their boarding passes without too much delay. Fortunately, the airport wasn't very busy that early in the morning, but they didn't want to lollygag around. So, they made a beeline to the security check and got through it before there was any kind of line. And like Bailey suggested, they grabbed a bagel and a hot chocolate inside the terminal before sitting down outside of their gate to wait for their flight.

"What time is it?"

Cody checked his phone. "About 6:30. We still have another half hour before we board."

Bailey yawned again. "Okay, good. We're here, so we don't have to worry about anything else..."

He wrapped his arm around her. "I know. Just think...in a few hours, we can say goodbye to snow and wind chill for a few days..." He yawned again too. "Plus, I hate to admit it, but I think a few days without us cracking our MCAT books will be good for us..."

She just laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I think so too..." She paused. "Sweetie?"

"Yeah?"

"Wake me up when its time for us to board." Cody turned to look down at her and just smiled as he could tell she had just fallen asleep again. He just placed a kiss on the top of her head.

_Boston_

Likewise, in Boston, the wake up call there at 5:30 came way too early for Zack and Maya as well. Even though Maya had convinced Zack of the merits of hitting the hay early the night before, she had fall asleep a little before eleven o'clock. Unfortunately for Zack though, he had just laid in bed for what seemed like forever with is body refusing to cooperate in letting him fall asleep too. Last thing he remembered before he finally succumb to sleep was seeing his alarm clock declare it was 2:30 in the morning. So, when the call came about three hours later, Zack literally felt like crying. He probably would have if Maya hadn't woken up and began pushing him to wake him up.

She just smiled. "Time to wake up, Babe. We have a lot to do this morning and not a lot of time to do it in..."

He yawned but his eyes never opened. "Why don't you go shower first and wake me up when you're done? I just need a few more minutes here..."

Maya could only laugh. "Well, I have to finish packing a few things that you got me for Christmas to take with me. Why don't you go first?"

"Uh uh"

"Okay, only one fair way to do this - rock, paper, scissors?"

Zack sighed, opened his eyes and nodded. On the count of three, they both pounded their fists into their palms twice before showing their hands. Zack was still grumbling as he drug himself out of bed. From what he remember, Maya always went with paper to wrap up his usual rock. He had chosen scissors to mix things up. Unfortunately for him, so had she, and he could only hang his head when he saw her rock. Still, he was dragging as he walked to the bathroom.

Maya just grinned. "Ahhh...my poor baby. Are you that tired?"

He could only nod. "I just couldn't fall asleep last night. I got at most three hours..."

"Tell you what. For being such a good sport about yesterday, I have another surprise for you..."

"Yeah? What?"

"If you promise not to take pictures of it, I'll wear that jersey you got me for the game tonight..."

Zack could only smile. "Really? That'd be awesome!"

"Just remember though - no pictures. If you try, you'll get to experience firsthand the pain that Bruno did..."

He just nodded and headed into the bathroom. Of course, once he got in the shower, Zack did feel a little better. So, he spent a little more time letting the hot water soothe him and wake him up than he should have. After what seemed like only ten minutes, he heard a pounding on the bathroom door. Once he turned off the water and wrapped a towel around him, he stuck his head out the bathroom door.

"You rang?"

Maya just gave him a look. "Took you long enough! You've been in there for over a half hour! And there better be some hot water left! Besides, there is only twenty minutes left before our shuttle leaves!"

Zack just smiled as he walked out of the bathroom. "All yours now..."

She just glared at him. "You better hope we don't miss that shuttle!

He grinned. "Someone is cranky this morning..."

She glared again, and Zack slipped out her way. By a quarter after six, they too were both showered, dressed and carrying their bags out of the suite. Once they got down to a deserted lobby, Skippy told them the shuttle was still there and outside waiting on them. Fortunately, it wasn't a long ride over to Logan. But unlike Wichita, Logan was already bustling that time of morning. So, it took them a little while to check in and get through security. In fact, both were dying to grab some breakfast, but by the time they got to their gate, their flight was being called. So, both just sighed and got in line to board.

_Atlanta_

About eleven o'clock that morning, passengers began disembarking two flights that had come from two different directions. And in a matter of coincidence, they both were emptying from adjoining gates. As Zack and Maya walked into the terminal, they happened to glance over and see Cody and Bailey entering it as well. So, they headed over towards them to get their attention.

"Well, well. I think we know you too."

Cody laughed. "I'm impressed. I was actually a little worried you two wouldn't make your flight."

Maya shook her head. "We did, but barely - no thanks to your brother. You have any idea how miserable it is to still have wet hair when you get on the plane and the little air valve right above you won't close? Its not fun. And on top of that, we didn't have time to grab breakfast, so I'm starving right now." She sighed. "Since you two have spent so much time in this airport before, please tell me there is someplace close by so I can get some food?"

Bailey checked her watch. "Well, we have about an hour before our connecting flight is due to begin boarding. If you can wait a little bit longer, I think it best we find our other gate first. Trust us, we learned last week how much of a a cluster this airport can be. But I can almost guarantee there will be places near there..."

Maya just nodded. "Yeah, probably a good idea. Lead on then..." She turned to Zack. "And don't worry - if you still want your other surprise, you're buying!"

Fifteen minutes later, they had found their gate, and everyone made a beeline for the Wendy's right across from it. Forty five minutes later, everyone had finished eating just as their flight was called to begin boarding. And as they waited in line, Cody called his Dad to let him know they it looked like they were going to be departing on time. Once on board, they stowed their carry on bags and took their seats in two rows of two seats one right behind the other. Within forty minutes, they were in the air heading south.

As they settled in for the close to two hour flight, Cody turned to Bailey and smiled.

"You remember the last time we were in South Florida together?"

She paused to think. "Lets see. Was that the spring break our first year on the boat?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it was. Almost six years ago..."

"True." She paused before teasing him. "Just think...Almost six years later, and you're still trying to convince people that I'm your girlfriend..."

Cody had to laugh. "Nope...I'm trying to convince them now that you're my fiancee. Except now, I can do this..." He leaned in and kissed her. '...without you getting mad at me."

Bailey laughed too. "Well, you do have a point there..."

"Anyways, I was thinking. Doesn't your uncle or your cousin have an alligator farm down there? Maybe we could try to visit him while were in Miami if you wanted."

Bailey shook her head. "Unfortunately, I heard he gave that up. He claimed the government was always sticking their nose in his business...even while he was doing the same to the alligators. So, he moved up to Alaska to work with polar bears and walruses. He thought the government wouldn't bother him so much up there."

"Yeah? How is that going for him then?"

She paused before frowning. "You know, that's a good question. Grammy said nobody had heard from him in almost a year..."

Cody eyes went open. "That's not good. You remember that movie _Grizzly Man_ we watched?"

Bailey's eyes went wide too. "I do now!"

About two thirty that afternoon, their plane landed in the Miami area. Well, not Miami itself but Fort Lauderdale. Seems that was the airport their bargain airline actually flew into. Once the plane made it to the terminal, the four of them de-boarded it before heading into the terminal and on their way to the baggage claim area. And when they found the one for their flight, they saw a very tan Kurt smiling and standing there waiting on them.

"There you all are! Welcome to Miami!" He paused. "Well, Fort Lauderdale anyways..." Quickly, he hugged all of them. And that's when he noticed they were all in jackets, sweatshirts and jeans. "Looks like I need to get you all back to my place ASAP. Its a balmy 85 degrees outside right now with humidity. You guys are going to melt in what you have on now..."

Zack shook his head. "Sounds good to me. I'm already sweating, and I have no desire to relive being locked in the engine room again."

Bailey nodded. "I'd have to agree with that. I have no desire to see Cody pass out on me ever again. That last time was enough for me to last a life time."

Kurt paused. "That's true." He turned to Cody. "How are you feeling now, Son?"

Cody shrugged. "I'm fine. You can barely even see the scar anymore. I've pretty much returned to doing what I've always been able to do." He grinned. "The doctors have long since cleared me to do anything, but I still sometimes have to get the go ahead from Dr. Pickett here on some things..."

Kurt laughed. "Understood. Well, I'm glad all of you are all safe, happy and here. Come on. Lets get your bags and get out of here." He smiled. "And don't forget your sunglasses. Its awfully bright outside..."

And once they got their bags, they all headed out to his car. Fortunately, his air conditioner was in top working order as they all needed it. About forty five minutes later, they could tell by the salty air and growing number of gulls that they were getting closer to the ocean. A few minutes later, Kurt pulled up in front of a condo building that they could see was right on the beach.

"Dad! You live here?"

He grinned. "I sure do. The record label owns the place, and they had an open condo when I moved down here. So, its mine now. Lets grab your bags and head on up. I'm on the 5th floor."

So, they did, and when they got inside, they could see how nice of a place it really was. Kurt really was living in the lap of luxury.

"Okay, now that we're here, you guys should change into something cooler. Once you have, I'll give you the grand tour." He pointed to his left. "Guest rooms are at the end of that hallway on the right and left with a bathroom in between. I..."

But before he could finish, the four just grabbed their bags and headed down the hallway. Cody and Bailey headed to the right while Zack and Maya went to the left. Watching that unfold in front of him, Kurt just paused. His youngest son and his fiancee heading into the same room was no surprise, but his oldest son and his girlfriend heading into the same room did catch him a little off guard. But he just shook his head and decided that was their business. His boys were men now, and they were happy. And if they were happy, that's all that mattered to him.

About twenty minutes later, everyone returned to the main room looking much more refreshed in t-shirts, shorts and flip flops.

Kurt just grinned. "You all look much more cool and comfortable now."

"Dad, we all feel much more cool and comfortable now. Now, lets see this place."

So, Kurt gave them a tour. Instantly, Cody was smitten with the gourmet kitchen which caused Bailey to just shake her head and laugh. But the feature they all loved was the balcony that looked over the beach and pool down below.

"I hope you all brought your swimsuits. I figured we could all headd down there tomorrow before we head out later for the evening's festivities."

Zack just shook his head. "Dad, this place is great! You have a real bachelor pad here. I bet the ladies can't resist a place like this!." When he saw the look Maya was giving him, he added on. "I mean, personally, I would have no use for a place like this, but this has to help you out some."

Kurt just laughed. "Thanks, I think." He paused and decided this would be as good a time as any to share with them the big news he had. "Actually, I'm not sure I need it anymore for those kind of purposes either..."

That caught everyone's attention. "Oh?"

"Yeah. Why don't you all sit down, and I'll tell you." They complied, and he began his tale. "You see, a couple of months ago, I actually met someone down here. She works in the office a couple of floors down from me. Her name is Maria, and she runs a nonprofit organization down here in Dade County."

Cody spoke up. "So...are you two an official item now or..."

Kurt smiled. "I think we're well on our way to being one. Like me, she's divorced, but she doesn't have any children."

"Will we get to meet her while we're here?"

"Yeah. She's been visiting family out in California this past week for Christmas, but she's flying back in tomorrow afternoon. So, she'll be heading out with us tomorrow night. And she really can't wait to meet all of you. I've told her all about my sons and the ladies in their lives." He paused. "Guys, I think this one could end up being special. I really hope you all like her."

Bailey smiled. "I'm sure we will, Kurt."

"I've just been by myself for so long now since Carey and I split. Being on the road so much, I just never had the time for a real relationship, but I do now. And seeing how happy both my boys are in theirs, I think its time for me to give it another shot again." He laughed. "I mean, I can't have my boys making me look bad, can I?"

Zack laughed too. "Hey, don't need to tell me about that. I remember you and I talking about how Cody was making us both look bad a couple of years ago. I can't wait to meet this Maria, Dad."

Cody nodded. "Me either. I know when I was younger, I held out hope that our family would one day be reunited. But I'm older and wiser now, and I just want you to be happy, Dad."

Kurt smiled. "Thanks, Guys..." He laughed. "I mean, I might as well use the Martin family looks while I still have them, right?"

Zack laughed again. "Of course. I mean, I don't have to use mine anymore. And we're the only two that had them, Cody not so much. But to be fair, he doesn't seem to need them anyways..."

Bailey rolled her yes. "Oh please! Cody is the most handsome man I know. I think I definitely got the pick of the litter."

"More like the runt of the litter..."

Kurt shook his head and laughed. "I don't think you have any room to be talking, Zack. Remember, Cody does have something that neither one of us does - he's the only Martin man who actually has someone who has agreed to marry him and spend her life with him..." "

Zack shook his head. "Yeah, yeah..."

Kurt turned to Bailey and smiled. "But that's exactly the thing I hope to have myself. Someone who loves me completely and is willing to stand up for me like that. I just hope I get as lucky with that as my youngest son has..."

She smiled too. "Well, he does the same thing for me."

"Lets change the subject to something else then. How is all of your studying for your tests going? And Maya, how did you luck out in not having to take one of these things?"

She smiled. "Because the way BU works, once I was accepted into the program, I don't have to reapply for the graduate level part. And for that, I'm so grateful. Seeing how much these three have been studying for theirs and getting stressed out by them, no thank you."

Zack sighed. "She's right. I'll be glad when its over."

Cody shook his head. "At least you'll have a few days after yours to unwind. That Saturday night after our test, Bailey and I have to pack up and head back to New Haven to start school again on Monday."

Kurt smiled. "Well, then I want you all to relax and take it easy while you're down here. Speaking of school though, I haven't heard how you all did last semester. Did you knock it out of the park again?"

They all shrugged. "As of yesterday, they hadn't been posted yet." Cody paused. "Do you have wifi here so we can check again, Dad?"

"Of course, the password is 'password'..."

Cody frowned. "I think you should really consider changing that, Dad. Recent reports say that is one of the first ones hackers try."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to him about having an easily hackable password, Dad. His password has been 'Bailey' for the last five years."

"No, its not. I changed it after you broke into my system the last time." Cody smirked, but then he paused. "And, a couple of years ago, 'Bailey' was on that same list of passwords."

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, we both found that incredibly weird. I had no idea my name was that popular of a first name or last name..."

She shrugged, and both she and Cody went to get their laptops out of their carry on bags. And once they were booted up and connected to the wireless internet, they both logged into Yale's website. And there they were – their grades.

"Ummm...Cody Bear?"

He nodded. "I know. They're up." He paused. "How did you do?"

She grinned. "Still perfect here, Sweetie!"

He grinned back and high fived her. "Me too, Boo Boo."

Zack shook his head and turned to Maya. "See what I told you about their nicknames being even worse than before?"

Kurt smiled though. "Congratulations to the both of you. I'm extremely proud of you both."

Bailey smiled. "Me too. This will look really good on our medical school applications to have perfect 4.0s when we go to apply in a couple of months."

Maya turned to Zack. "We might as well check ours too while we're at it. You know, get it over with."

Zack just nodded. "You're probably right..." He turned to Cody and Bailey. "Mind if we borrow your laptops?"

Cody and Bailey handed them over, and Zack and Maya logged into the BU website. And their grades too had been posted.

Maya just stared at the screen. "Wow. This is amazing. Three A's and two B's. I got a 3.56"

Zack was just nodding. "No complaints here either. I got B's in both accounting classes, but A's in my other ones. A 3.43 here. I'll take it!"

Maya teased him. "Even though you were the lowest of the four."

But he just shook his head. "Hey, doesn't bother me in the least. If I had gotten a 3.43 in high school, you know Tut and Moseby would have pulled all of my work and put it under investigation."

Cody laughed. "As well they should have! Heck, I would have asked for the investigation myself!"

"Thanks, Bro..."

Cody smirked right back. "Well, you know, Dad and I are the only Martin men to get the brains in the family..."

Kurt just laughed though. "Well, this is cause for celebration then." He checked his watch. "Its almost four o'clock now. We'll just hang out here for a couple of hours and relax, and then we'll leave here about six to go out and get some dinner. That way, we'll be at the stadium by 8:00, and that will give us a half an hour to get settled in for the game."

"Ummm. Dad. You do know we'll all be wearing t-shirts or jerseys. One, that will cut down on the number of places we can go just due to dress code. Two, we'll be wearing Patriots gear. Do we really want to subject ourselves to the ire of the local Dolphins fans?"

"Good thinking, Cody. But you forget. About half the people who live in South Florida migrated here from the Northeast. I think we'll be fine."

Cody shrugged. "If you say so." He yawned. "Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I think I'm going to take a nap. After how early we got up this morning, I'm going to need one if I plan on being awake by the end of the game..."

Bailey smiled. "Good idea, Sweetie. Mind if I join you?"

He just gave her a look and teased her. "That one you had in the Wichita Airport wasn't enough for you?"

Zack sighed. "I need one too. I only go three hours sleep last night..."

Maya smirked at him. "Well, by the length of your shower this morning, you should be fully refreshed right now..."

About five thirty, everyone began getting ready. Cody had chosen his red long sleeve t-shirt with the Pats old school logo on it while Zack had chosen his navy blue one with the modern logo. But it was what the girls were wearing that surprised everyone. Zack frowned when he saw Bailey's #28 Patriots jersey.

"Whose jersey is that? Nobody on the roster wears number 28..."

She just smiled and showed them the back of it. And Maya laughed as Zack shook his head. "C. MARTIN. You bought an old Curtis Martin jersey? I know he's a Hall of Famer now, but still..."

Bailey kept smiling. "No, I found a jersey on a clearance rack that said C. Martin on it. To me, that stands for Cody. To me, its kind of like the Red Sox jersey he bought me that has Bailey on the back of it. Even though that Andrew Bailey guy seems to be perpetually hurt..." She paused and shrugged. "But what about you, Maya? I didn't think you'd ever be caught dead in a Tom Brady jersey..."

Maya sighed. "Well, Zack bought it for me for Christmas. I figure wearing it once down here won't kill me. At least there is a chance I won't run into anyone who knows me. But...I've already told Zack that no pictures whatsoever of me wearing it will be allowed." She gave him a look. "And he knows what the consequences of that happening will be..."

Zack held up his hand. "Hey. I gave you my word. And I'm pretty sure Cody and Bailey won't be telling anyone either. They're pretty good at keep secrets..." He paused and grinned. "Besides...we are in Florida and not...Virginia."

Both of them gave him a dirty look while Maya and Kurt looked at him in confusion.

"What does Virginia have to do with anything?"

Zack kept smiling. "Oh, nothing...Come on. Lets go."

After a quick dinner at a hole in the wall Caribbean restaurant that Kurt knew about and loved, everyone headed over a couple of blacks to Sun Life Stadium where the game was to be played. And as they approached the stadium, Zack spoke up.

"So, Dad, shouldn't you be giving us our tickets now?"

Kurt just grinned. "I don't have the tickets on me, but don't worry."

Everyone was confused and more than a little worried, but he lead them over to a VIP entrance. And as they waited their turn in line, they were really beginning to wonder what was going on. But when they got to the front of the line, Kurt simply just spoke up.

"My name is Kurt Martin. I believe there are five tickets waiting for me."

The very large man working the gate, searched his list and nodded. "Gotcha right here. You all are in in Suite 214B." He handed them five passes to hang around their necks. "And these are your passes. Welcome to Sun Life Stadium and have fun."

Upon hearing that, everyone was shocked. As they walked into the stadium, they took an escalator up to the suite level. And when they found the suite their seats were in, they were even more shocked to find themselves right on the 50 yard line.

"Dad! How did you pull this off?"

Kurt laughed. "Lets just say it helps to know people in high places. So, I take it these seats will be okay?"

Cody shook his head in awe. "Okay? I think I see the Patriots owner in the suite next to ours!"

"Well, we have full roam of everything around here. And all food and drinks are complimentary." He paused. "Well, all drinks that you are of legal age to buy. I like to think I'm a pretty cool Dad, but I have no desire to have Carey or Bailey's and Maya's parents yelling at me."

"No worries, Dad. We'll be good." Zack checked his watch. "We have about thirty minutes before kickoff. Lets go see what all we can find."

Maya nodded. "Or who we might see."

And see celebrities they did. Most of them were local musicians, but there was the occasional actor or actress that they saw. Of course, they did see the new flash in the pan prepubescent singer that teenage girls were currently going gaga over with a crowd standing around him.

Bailey turned to Maya and shook her head. "Did we ever act that stupid?"

"I sure hope not."

Cody just gave Bailey a look. "I have two words for you...Hannah Montana."

Bailey paused. "Oh yeah...but that was different."

He laughed. "If you say so, Sweetie. I..." But before he could finish what he was going to say, he almost got ran over by someone, and it knocked him down.

The man was immediately apologetic. "I'm so sorry, let me help you up, young man." He offered his hand, and helped pull Cody up. "Again, I am so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going, and..." He paused. "Wait a minute...don't I know you?"

Cody's eyes went wide as he did recognize the guy, but he wished he didn't. "I don't think so, Sir...I don't think we've ever met before."

Unfortunately, about that time, Zack returned from getting a churro. And when he saw the man, his eyes went wide too.

"Oh my gosh! Its Kurt Warner!"

_To be Continued..._

**AN: In case everyone hasn't seen it yet, the third trailer for The Dark Knight Rises has been released, and it looks awesome! Anyways, for those of you familiar with SPORCLE, there was a quiz on there yesterday that everyone reading this story should know the answer to at least one of them - **

**www. sporcle .com/games/LTH/the_show_must_go_on. (remove the spaces before sporcle and before com)**

**Finally, for those wanting a boost of self confidence, its teen week on Jeopardy. I watched yesterday and felt like the smartest man in the world. And, the winner yesterday was a young lady from my home state. So, I guess there is proof that not everyone from KY is a bunch of idiots.**_  
><em>


	15. Bash on the Beach

_Episode 15_

_"Bash on the Beach"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Sun Life Stadium_

Throughout his life, there had many times that Cody had felt like killing his brother. But at that very moment, he couldn't remember a time when he wanted to do so more than he did right then. If Zack hadn't reappeared at that very moment, with churro sugar all over his chin, Cody was pretty sure he could have talked his way out of the situation he was in. But no, he wasn't lucky enough for that to have happened. Instead, Cody found himself standing there in absolute horror having to again see the man that he had accidentally caused the end of his professional football career. And to make matters worse, Zack couldn't contain his enthusiasm.

"Mr. Warner! Its me, Zack Martin! We met you on the S.S. Tipton when our friend London Tipton bought the Arizona Cardinals! I had you on my fantasy football team!"

Kurt Warner just looked at him as realization finally dawned on him. "It was you! You were the one who sacked me on the boat and hurt my knee!"

Zack held up his hands as laughed. "Whoa! That wasn't me..." He slapped Cody on the back. "That was my twin brother here who did that..."

At the moment, Cody was debating to himself whether he should try making a run for it or taking the rest of Zack's churro and shoving it somewhere Zack would find very uncomfortable. But he soon realized he would not have time for either one of those options as Kurt Warner turned his scowl upon him.

"So, it was you! Well, kid...I only have one thing to say to you!" He paused before a smile broke out on his face. "Thank you. Thanks to my injury, I never had to wear those ridiculously hideous uniforms. And that might have ended up saving my life. I was right. The Raiders did make fun of us. And with me having to retire, it seemed like they made it a point to continuously give my back up cheap shot after cheap shot." He paused and shuddered. "Matt Leinart was never the same afterwards. All things being equal, I'd rather have a bum knee than the complete physical and psychological abuse they gave him. So, again, thank you for saving me from that..."

Cody sighed in relief. "Well, you don't have to thank me as it really was an unfortunate accident. I guess Kirby taught be better than I thought. And I think the toxic fumes coming from that stinky uniform finally seeped into my brain and made me go crazy. But those are just excuses. I really am sorry about what happened."

Kurt Warner laughed. "Don't worry about it. I was about ready to retire anyways, and I already had a Super Bowl ring. Plus, and no pun intended, but Miss Tipton did pay me a boat load of money to buy out my contract. So, I'm doing just fine now."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I promise nothing like has happened since as I haven't played football since then. Not even on our intramural flag football team."

"So, you're in college now I take it. Where at?"

"Yale, but my fiancee Bailey here and I are beginning our applications to medical school soon."

Kurt Warner nodded. "Well, if its any help, you did show a tender side when you tended to me after you destroyed me. So, I think your bedside manner will be just fine. And kudos on Yale. I'm guessing its much more difficult than Northern Iowa where I went to school."

Bailey spoke up. "And if it helps, Cody made sure that he and I rooted for you hard on Dancing With the Stars."

He laughed again. "I appreciate that too. I'm guessing my ability to dance around the pocket didn't transfer too well to the ballroom. Oh well."

Zack spoke up himself. "So, what are you doing nowadays?"

"Oh, I work for the NFL Network. I was on the pregame show, and I'll be doing the postgame show afterwards." He smiled. "I can see by the shirts you're all wearing that you are all Patriots fans."

Maya shook her head vigorously. "Not me! I'm a Giants fan! I still remember you're time in New York. And you have my eternal thanks for showing Eli the ropes..."

"Yeah, he hasn't turned out too bad, has he? Though I'm sure getting that second ring has helped him escape his brother's very large shadow. I'm glad to see him being known for being him and not just as Peyton's brother. I imagine that had to be rough on him..."

Both Zack and Cody sighed at the same time. "Tell me about it..."

"Anyways, I have a question for you guys. Not that I'm complaining, but why did Miss Tipton sell the Cardinals again after only one year?"

Zack shrugged. "She got bored with it. Plus, she said she couldn't spend that much time in the desert heat. Something about it making her skin dry up and causing wrinkles. Our senior year, she got almost fanatical about avoiding wrinkles at all costs. But, she actually made money on the sale, so she was happy."

Kurt Warner nodded before checking his watch. "I see, well, it was nice seeing you all again, but I have to get going. Good luck to you all in your future endeavors."

Cody nodded too. "And thank you for being so understanding. Good luck to you in yours as well."

Kurt made his exit, and Cody just sighed in relief again.

"Okay, that could have gotten really ugly really fast..."

Bailey smiled at him. "I doubt it. I mean, this place is full of security and people with cell phones. I doubt he would have wanted the attention for accosting you here in public. It would have been all over twitter and TV in 30 minutes."

"True. Alright, I'm thinking I'm ready to head back to our seats and just watch the game."

And that's what they did. The Dolphins were a better offensive team that they had been the past couple of years thanks to their new QB, but they still relied on their good defense to make it a close game for the first three quarters. But Tom Brady, even though his famed coif of hair now had gray streaks in it, still had some 4th quarter magic left. Once again, he lead the Patriots on a game winning drive. With the win, the Patriots clinched the AFC East and would clinch the second seed in the AFC playoffs with a win over the Jets in the last week of the season. And that was a game Zack and Maya could both agree that they could root for the Patriots again together.

As they were walking out of the stadium close to midnight, all of their long days were finally catching up to them. All four of them couldn't stop yawning on the drive back to Kurt's condo, and that just caused him to laugh.

"I'm assuming you all would prefer to call it a night, huh?"

Cody nodded. "No offense, Dad, but I think we would love that. I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open right now."

"Me too." Bailey just yawned as she had her head laying on his shoulder. "You would think by now our bodies would know how to handle jet lag."

Zack yawned too. "All I know is that I'm not waking up tomorrow until I'm ready to get up. So, if I'm not up before midnight, someone wake me up."

Kurt laughed again. "I remember when you two would fight me on going to bed. Now, I'm debating the over under on how many of you will still be awake when we get home."

For the record, all four were asleep when they did. After Kurt woke everyone up, they all stumbled off to their respective bedrooms and called it a night.

_Kurt's Condo_

The next morning, everyone did sleep in - well, relative to when they usually got up. At 8:30 that morning, Cody and Bailey both woke up when the sun began streaming through the blinds. Both stretched and lounged in bed for a few minutes before they decided to get up and begin their days. After weeks of getting up early whether it had been in New Haven, Boston or Kettlecorn, both enjoyed sleeping in to such a late hour. And when they got up, they realized that they were the only ones in the condo that were. So, with that, both just grinned and slipped into the bathroom together to grab a shower. Even when they finished, they still realized they were the only ones awake.

Cody smiled. "How about I take a crack at that kitchen and make us some breakfast."

"Sounds good to me. After that, how about we head down to beach? Personally, I think lying out and reading my new book while getting some sun sounds heavenly."

"Works for me. I can just imagine the look of disgust on Tapeworm's face when I come back to school with a tan. He's been teasing me for a while now that I must be part albino..."

After breakfast, they changed into their swimsuits and headed down to the beach where they grabbed a couple of chaise lounges. After laying out their towels, they naturally helped each other apply sunscreen to the other. Once both were protected from UV rays, Bailey dove into her book while Cody laid back to relax in the warm Florida sun. Even though he had gotten over eight hours of sleep the night before, the crashing of the waves had almost lulled him back to sleep again when he heard Bailey gasp out loud. Immediately, he sat up and looked at her.

"What's wrong, Bails?"

She nodded her head towards a couple of women splashing around in the water. "Can you believe how skimpy some of the bikinis are that some of these women are wearing? I mean...there are children around!"

Cody didn't immediately respond as he wasn't quite sure what the appropriate response was to that question. "Sweetie...is this a trick question? Are you actually wanting me to look at them?"

Bailey rolled her eyes. "Cody, you know what I mean..."

"So, just to be sure, you want me to look and give you my opinion?"

"Cody!"

"Okay, okay..." He held up his hands. Turning, he did look to see if he could figure out what had gotten Bailey so upset. And, he did have to agree with her. "Well, you are right, Bails - they are rather skimpy. And not to mention a little gaudy for my tastes." He paused and smiled. "But..."

She turned and glared at him. "But what, Cody?"

He smiled. "Oh, I was just picturing what you would look like in one of them. I won't lie, Sweetie...I'm very much enjoying that mental image."

Bailey almost blushed. "Cody!"

"What? You would look smoking wearing one of those. I should probably stop picturing it or I'm going to start drooling..."

She just shook her head and smiled. "I truly appreciate you saying that, but those are just not something you would ever catch me dead wearing..." She laughed. "You remember what I said about that exercise outfit, well it would go double for a bikini like those!"

He smiled. "Oh, I know, but its not going to stop me from thinking how amazing you would look in it. Though, I think you're right - I wouldn't want to share that view with anyone."

She reached over and squeezed his hand. "I wouldn't either. That's for your eyes only. And Cody?"

"Yeah, Bails?"

She nodded her head at something else behind him. "While I think you would look sexy in a speedo like that guy is wearing, I wouldn't want to share that view either."

Cody turned to look out of curiosity and immediately regretted it. "What is that guy thinking? I mean - how would that even be comfortable? There is a very good reason I'm a boxers man!"

Bailey laughed again. "Tell me about it. With a bikini like those women were wearing or with that, all I can imagine is a perpetual wedgie..." She paused. "Though, seeing your reaction if I bought you something like that would be priceless."

He laughed too. "It would probably the same as yours if I bought you a bikini like that..."

"You're probably right. How about we make a deal then? We both promise to never do that to each other ever!"

"I think I can go along with that..." Cody paused as he thought of something. "Actually, speaking of things like that, there is one thing I've been wondering..."

She turned to look at him again. "What's that?"

"Well, on Black Friday, while it was just Zack and I off by ourselves, we passed by the Victoria's Secret several times. It got me to thinking...what would you think if I were to buy you something from there or some place like it?"

She smiled. "Now, that I wouldn't mind at all, Sweetie. Did you think I would?"

Cody shrugged. "Well, I wasn't 100% sure. I guess I was afraid it might give you the wrong impression. I mean, while I think you are the sexiest, most beautiful woman in the world to me and I immensely enjoy our moments alone, I didn't want you to think that I viewed you as a...well, as an..." He sighed. "I'm not sure how to word what I want to say..."

Bailey reach over to grab his hand again. "I think I know what you mean, and I appreciate that thinking enough of me to talk to me about this first. But, Cody, I know you well enough to know that you would never think anything like that..." She smiled. "Besides, I immensely enjoy those moments alone too. I'd love to see what you would pick out for me..."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely." She winked at him. "Who knows? I might find some good things for you too..."

Meanwhile, back up in the condo, Zack and Maya finally rolled out of bed about ten o'clock that morning. While Cody and Bailey had the bedroom that overlooked the ocean, Zack and Maya knew that the one they had chosen would not have the sun streaming in to wake them up. After waking up so early the day before, both of them were more than happy to sleep in. However, that morning, Maya didn't even ask first and grabbed the shower first. Once both were up and ate a quick bowl of cereal, they too changed into their swimsuits and headed down to the complex's pool. And they too had no problem helping the other apply sunscreen. As they were lying there soaking in the rays, Zack just sighed in contentment.

"Just think...this is a coming attraction for how spring break will be."

"Yeah? You have it planned out for us yet?"

"Well, not yet, but don't worry, I will...It will be just like this."

She laughed. "What? You mean me getting away from my job in a pool only to spend time around another one?"

He lowered his sunglasses and looked over at her. "You know what I mean."

"I know. I'm just really enjoying just taking it easy with no real schedule I have to keep."

"You're telling me. This is the complete opposite of last year. I'm actually sweating my butt off instead of freezing it."

Maya smiled. "Well, I don't think last year was all that bad. I mean...you did give me my first kiss in a long, long time. For that alone, it will always be one of my favorite memories."

"Ahhh, yes. That does bring back some memories. I think I enjoyed that kiss as much as you did, but my brain was still being too stubborn to let me admit it to myself."

She leaned over and kissed him again. "What's it telling you now?"

Zack grinned. "Oh, my entire body is telling me how much it enjoyed it...I mean really enjoyed it."

Maya laughed. "Well, if need be, there is a pool right there for you to go cool certain parts of you off in."

"That would require me to get up, and the only reason I can see to do that would be to go to the bathroom..." He joked. "Of course, the pool is closer than the bathroom."

"Zack, don't even think about it! I have to work in a pool where I'm sure some kids have done that. Trust me, we've started using that chemical that will show up if it detects urine. My guess would be the pool here does too. Would you want to embarrass yourself like that and have everyone know what you did?"

"Not really. I was just kidding."

She smiled at him. "I know, but having to work in those conditions, its not something I find that humorous."

"Good point." He yawned. "Well, I think I'm going to get some more sleep. I should get as much as I can while we're down here. If my back gets to well done, just flip me over."

By three o'clock that afternoon, everyone had had their share of sun for the day and wanted to avoid getting burnt and being red as lobsters. So, they all headed back inside to relax for a while before beginning to take turns getting ready for later. According to Kurt, his label was putting on a huge New Year's Eve bash just down the beach with several musical acts performing. However, he did tell all of them that they would have to wear bright neon pink wrist bands indicating they were under 21.

Finally, about six o'clock, everyone was showered and ready to celebrate the last few remaining hours of 2013. And about that same time, there was a knock at the door. Kurt got up to answer it, and he returned a few minutes later with a very attractive woman who looked to be in her early 40's.

"Boys...Girls...I'd like to formally introduce you to Maria. Maria, these are my boys and their girlfriends."

Maria smiled at them. "Its a pleasure to finally meet you all as Kurt has told me so much about you. He's showed me a ton of pictures, and I have to admit that with you two being twins, I've learned to differentiate you two by your girlfriends. I hope as I continue to get to know you both better, I'll be able to tell you apart much easier" She looked over to Cody and Bailey. "You two must be Cody and Bailey. I understand you are both at Yale and about to begin medical school applications. And Kurt tells me you are both doing extremely well. You should be proud of your accomplishments."

Bailey smiled. "Thank you. We are, and its nice to meet you as well."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, it is."

"I also understand you two are engaged and have set a date for July of 2015. I bet you two are really excited about that."

Cody laughed. "Well, we might be eventually. We have the MCAT in about ten days, and once we get our scores back, we have to focus on our applications. Hopefully once those are done, we'll be able to focus on our wedding a little more and get some things decided on it."

"I can't say I blame you. It certainly sounds like you have a lot on your plates right now." She turned to Zack and Maya. "And you must be Zack and Maya. I understand you are both at Boston University. Zack majoring in hospitality administration, and Maya majoring in athletic training and physical therapy. Just a heads up in case you're interested, both of those fields are HIGHLY in demand down here."

Maya smiled. "We'll keep that in mind. I don't know about Zack, but I think I could definitely get used to wearing shorts or a summer dress in December and January."

"Trust me, I'm from Northern California. I had to buy a whole new wardrobe when I moved down here. And Zack, I understand you are taking the GMAT and trying to go for your MBA. I took that same test about ten years ago. I think I still remember some valid tips that really helped me if you're interested in them..."

Zack smiled and nodded. "Definitely! Do you have an MBA as well?"

Maria smiled. "I do. Stanford here."

He laughed. "Well, if you got one from there, I'll just have to call you if I have any problems."

"Feel free to."

Kurt spoke up. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to get hungry. Maria knows of this place she thinks will be perfect for tonight."

"Well, I hope so. My cousin is the owner and head chef there. She's tried to teach me a few things, but she is an absolute genius in a kitchen. She actually finished first in her class at culinary school."

That caught Cody's attention. "Oh yeah? Which one?"

"Le Cordon Blue in Paris."

Cody was impressed now. "Wow...that's one of the best ones in the world."

Maria laughed. "So she keeps telling me. Kurt's told me you're sort of a gourmet chef yourself..."

"Well, I'm alright. I learned under the head chef at the hotel we grew up in..."

"Sounds like my cousin then. She was a sous chef under Ferran Adria at El Bulli in Costa Brava, Spain. She learned everything she could from him, and decided to open up her own restaurant here."

Cody's mouth fell open in shock. "F...F...Ferran Adria?"

Bailey shook her head. "You'll have to excuse my fiance. He's a big fan of Mr. Adria. He owns every cookbook he's ever put out and is constantly having me taste recipes during the summers..." She grinned. "Of course, I'm not about to complain about that at all..."

Maria smiled. "I don't blame you one bit. Well, she's saving us a table for six. Sound good to you guys?"

Cody shot up off of the couch. "What are we waiting for?"

Everyone else just shrugged, and soon they were off. And the meal was even more delicious than they could have imagined. All were well full by the time they left and thought they would need another nap before the bash on the beach. Well, almost. Bailey practically had to drag Cody out of the kitchen as he kept asking Maria's cousin one question after another.

By the time they got back to the condo, they all changed from the shoes they were wearing to flip flops. Since the party was just down the beach, they decided it would be easier and safer to just walk down to it. That way, they wouldn't have to deal with any potential drunk drivers later that night. Plus, Kurt gave each couple a spare key to the condo so they could head back anytime they got tired.

When they arrived at the bash around nine o'clock, it was already in full swing. And like Kurt said, the four college students had to not only wear their passes to get in but also the aforementioned neon pink wristbands. But that wasn't a big deal to them in the least. In fact, they quickly got into the celebratory mood and joined other party goers out on the beach/dance floor.

Bailey laughed. "I don't think I've ever danced on sand before."

"I know. I'm not sure how all of the ballroom dances we've learned would work out here."

She smiled. "Probably not too well, but it might make swing dancing a whole lot easier. That way, when you dropped me, the landing would be much softer."

Cody shook his head and sighed. "I did that once, and you're never going to let me live it down..."

"Of course I won't. Just like you won't let me live down the one type we tried the tango, and I forgot to make sure the rose had no thorns."

He laughed. "Well, I was spitting blood for the next several days afterwards."

She laughed too. "And I had a bruise on my butt for several days after you dropped me. I think that makes us even."

Cody grinned. "Hey, unlike you, I did offer to kiss it and make it feel better..."

Meanwhile, a little ways away, Zack and Maya were cutting a rug...or piece of beach themselves.

"Don't you just love Reggae music, Zack?"

He shrugged. "Its alright. I admit, I do like the steel drums." He paused and teased her. "Did you hear a lot this kind of music over in Africa with that guy you were telling me about?"

She laughed. "Just about 12 hours a day. The other 12 hours, he was either passed out or on a search for Funyuns." She paused. "He never could understand why he couldn't find any..."

Zack laughed too. "I bet. I bet the locals thought he was...interesting."

"You could say that. I think they were all freaked out by him." She paused. "You know, being over there for New Year's Eve was really weird."

"Why's that?"

"Well, Chad was six hours ahead of Eastern time. So, when it just turned 2012 over there, it dawned on me that all of my family and friends were still in 2011. I know it sounds silly, but it really made it sink in just how far away I was from everyone." Maya stopped to think. "You know, that night was what made me decide that I couldn't stay there any longer. I just missed everything too much...especially you."

Zack smiled at her. "Well, you've had three interesting New Year's Eves in a row. From Darfur to Times Square to South Beach. I'm thinking next year, we would have to be in Vegas to even come close to keeping up."

She laughed. "Maybe so. I mean, that's if a couple hours before midnight its still in the 80's out there. Call me spoiled, but wearing a summer dress on New Year's Eve is really something I could get used to."

"Yeah, if you had worn that last year, the rest of you would have turned blue to match it..."

As it got closer to midnight, Cody and Bailey headed away from the main dance floor/beach to catch their breath, and they sat on a dune just watching the party continue on in front of them. The breeze off the ocean had a cool chill to it, and Cody wrapped his arm around Bailey's waist and pulled her in close to him when she shivered.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She laughed. "I think it might have dropped below 80...to like...78."

He laughed too. "Should I be on the lookout for snow like last year?"

"Nah, I think we're fine. Actually, I'm rather comfortable right now by getting off my feet."

"Are they sore?"

"A little, but I'll live."

Cody reached down and plopped her legs on his lap and began rubbing her feet. Bailey just sighed in contentment.

"Oh yeah. Right there. Just like that..."

Cody was about to say something until they heard a voice from behind him.

"Would you two prefer to be alone?"

They turned to find Zack and Maya grinning at them. Cody shook his head. "Nah, Bailey said her feet were sore, so I'm rubbing them for her."

Zack and Maya sat down too. "I know the feeling. I've never been on a dance floor that hat bits of shells buried in it."

"Well, you two ready to say goodbye to 2013?"

Zack paused. "I don't know. Its been a pretty good year. I'll be sorry to see it go. But I have a feeling 2014 will be an even better year."

Maya smiled . "I think so too."

Cody nodded. "No arguments from me about it."

Bailey grasped Cody's hand. "I know it will be. We'll only be one year away from graduating and getting married."

And at that moment, they heard the crowd began counting down to midnight. When the clock struck midnight, the crowd erupted in cheers with fireworks beginning to be fired that exploded overhead. Both couples smiled at each other, leaned in and shared both their last kisses of 2013 and first ones of 2014.

_To be Continued..._

**AN: Just an update, I think I am halfway done writing the finale, and it may end up being a tad bit long. I've already written thirteen pages on it and still have a lot to do. And for reference, a normal episode (before editing) is about 12-13 pages long for the whole thing. For another point of reference, every episode I post is at least 5,000 words according to fanfiction. So, the finale could very well be over 10,000. And for those wondering, this episode is 5255.**


	16. The Ticking Time Bombs

_Episode 16_

_"The Ticking Time Bombs"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Miami_

Once New Year's Eve had come and passed, everyone still had a couple of days left on their visit to Miami. And with the weather still in the 80's everyday, no one wanted to waste a second of it before they had to head back to what many were predicting to be a worse than average New England winter. Of course, not wasting it meant they relaxed and enjoyed as much time as they could lounging on the beach and around the pool. Initially, Kurt had a few other activities planned but he quickly decided to cancel those as he felt everyone just needed a few days to kick back and do nothing. In fact, the closest any of them got to doing anything that could be close to considered doing any kind of real work was when Maria spent a couple of hours giving Zack pointers and tips of the GMAT. She made sure to share with him the strategy that she had been taught and had worked for her.

"So, did these really help you on your test?"

She laughed. "Oh yeah. On my first practice test, I got in the low six hundreds (out of possible eight hundred points), but after using these, my score shot up over a hundred points..."

He could only nod his head. "I'll give them a shot then. I was right about six hundred on my practice test too."

"Any idea where you are going to apply to?"

Zack paused. "Well, ideally, I'd just stay at BU. I already know the campus, and I think I might have a friend going through the program too. Plus, I'd still be around to have lunch with Maya every day..."

"I can understand that. Where else are you going to apply?"

He shrugged. "Probably all of the local schools around Boston..."

Maria smiled. "Even the two big boys up there?"

"I don't think so. I just don't see myself as MIT material, and I'm...ummm...banned from Harvard. Cody and I both are..."

She just looked at him. "Banned? For what?"

Zack sighed. "Long story. Lets just say I found a way to royally tick off the president of the university, and he got his revenge on the both of us..."

"I see..." She paused as she remembered something. "Are we talking about the current one?"

"I don't know...I think so."

"Well, at my job, we do a lot of work with the Department of Housing and Urban Development with the feds. I know the current secretary there used to be president of Harvard."

Zack shrugged again. "I wouldn't no anything about that. I really don't keep up with things like that - that's more something Cody would do. All I know is that I'm banned from there, so I'm not even going to worry about it..."

Unfortunately for everyone, those two days passed by too quickly for their liking, and soon it was Friday morning, the day they had to head back to Boston. While their flight didn't leave until 3:30 that afternoon, they had to be at the Fort Lauderdale airport by 1:30 so they gave themselves enough time to check-in and get through security. And as one last hurrah, Kurt wanted to take them out to lunch beforehand, so by 11:00, everyone was all showered, dressed, packed and ready to go. Once again, they decided on a Cuban restaurant that Kurt knew off as they all knew the odds of finding a similar restaurant in Boston was slim. Of course, as they ate, the four twenty year olds got funny looks from everyone else in the restaurant because they were all decked out in sweatshirts and jeans.

Zack shook his head. "This sucks. I'm dying here! Couldn't I just pack jeans and a sweatshirt in my carry on bag and change in the Atlanta airport?"

Cody shook his head. "No time, Bro. We only have thirty minutes between flights this time. Trust us, Bailey and I learned first hand on the way to Wichita just how big and crazy that airport is. Our way down here was easy in comparison..."

After eating, they had to begin the drive to the Fort Lauderdale airport. A little after one o'clock, they arrived there, and Kurt parked in short term parking. After everyone checked their bags and got their boarding passes, Kurt and Maria walked with them towards the security checkpoint.

"Well, I've loved having you all down here with me for a few days. I really hope you all had as much fun as I did."

Bailey smiled. "We did. Thank you for having us, Kurt."

Maya nodded. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind coming down here more often..."

He grinned. "Well, you all are welcome down here anytime. And if you think it was nice these past couple of days, you should see what its like in the summer. Though, I just hope you guys don't get sick going from the weather here back to the weather in Boston."

Zack sighed. "Tell me about it. I just got an alert on my phone that it just started snowing up there and will continue to for the rest of the day."

Kurt laughed. "Well, knowing what you guys have to do a week from tomorrow, I get the feeling you all won't be spending that much time outdoors."

"Thanks for the reminder, Dad. I had almost let myself forget about it while I was down here..."

"Well, I wish you all the best of luck on your tests and with starting school again. And Maya, I wish you good luck dealing with them as their test times gets closer and closer..."

Maria smiled. "The same from me. It was a pleasure to finally meet you all and get to know you even better. I think its safe to say I can tell the two boys apart now. Kurt was right - you two have much different personalities"

Cody smiled too. "It was nice getting to know you too, Maria..." He patted his Dad on the shoulder. "If this guy gives you any troubles, just let us know and we'll straighten him out..."

Kurt shook his head. "Thanks, Cody..."

Maria laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Oh, and my cousin called me and told me she had some recipes she would send you if you wanted."

Cody's eyes went wide. "Definitely!"

Kurt laughed at his son's enthusiasm. "Well, you guys be good, and I'll be back up north at sometime to see you all again real soon."

And with that, they all took turns hugging each other goodbye. Both Zack and Cody whispered to their Dad their approval of Maria and told him not to screw it up. But noticing the security line growing in length, the four twenty year olds had to finally say goodbye so they could return to their real lives. About 2:30, they had finally gotten through security and were putting their shoes back on. And from there, they all headed towards their gate to await their flight to be called. Finally, about 3:00, it was, and they got in line once again. Right at 3:30, their flight taxied down the runway and took off and began its journey north.

_Boston_

About 9:30 that evening, their journey from Florida finally ended as their plane touched down on the runway at Logan Airport. And even though the four of them hadn't done anything all day except pretty much just sit down, they were all exhausted as they walked into the terminal. After waiting for and grabbing their bags, they found the Tipton shuttle waiting on them out front. Settling into it, they waited for it to pick up other passengers before it finally pulled away and began heading back to the hotel. It was close to eleven o'clock that night when they finally walked back into the lobby, and none of them found it the least bit strange that they were all in bed and asleep on a Friday by 11:30.

Saturday brought with it the beginning of Zack, Cody and Bailey's final week of studying for their respective tests. And for the next week, it would be their sole focus as Moseby had given Zack the week off from work. Of course, he made sure to let Zack know that he didn't want to hear about him out and about goofing off during normal work hours. So, with their weeks set, that left Maya as the odd one out with nothing to do. While her swim lessons wouldn't begin back till the first full week of school, she readily volunteered to take as many shifts during the day at the fit&rec center doing whatever it was they needed her to do. And for that, her boss was grateful, and Maya figured it would make it a lot easier to take spring break off later.

After having the few days off in Miami, Bailey, Cody and Zack eased back into studying. Not having looked at the material for a few days, they weren't quite as sick of looking at it as before. However, by Wednesday of that week, the fun in the sun of Miami seemed like it was years ago. After spending over twelve hours a day doing nothing but studying the same material over and over again, tempers did begin to flare a little bit. Well, mostly for Zack as Cody and Bailey were used to this kind of intensive studying. But by that afternoon, Zack reached his breaking point and just through his hands up and began screaming.

"I'm sick of looking at this stuff!"

Cody looked up and sighed. "And you think we aren't?"

Bailey shook her head. "Besides, just keep telling yourself that in a few days, none of us will have to look at this stuff ever again..."

Zack hung his head and felt like crying. "Why can't the test be tomorrow? I've never volunteered to take a test early in my life, but I'll gladly do it this once..."

"Just do what we've done. Break it down and focus on one aspect at a time. On Saturday and Sunday, we focused on the biological sciences. On Monday, we switched to chemistry – organic and inorganic. On Tuesday, we focused on physics. Today, we're studying for the verbal reasoning part. Tomorrow, we're taking our final practice test. And then on Friday, we'll go back over which parts we thought we did the worst on and hone in on them."

Zack just glared at them. "Gee...thanks. That's information that would have been useful to me...on Saturday!"

Cody sighed again. "Well, finish up today and take a practice test tomorrow. Besides, it will give you a break from studying. We've already decided that late Friday afternoon, we're closing our books for the last time and going out to relax and have fun."

Bailey nodded. "And then we fully plan on being back and in bed by ten o'clock at the latest so we can get a good night's sleep."

Cody turned to her. "Remind me to pick up some bananas on our way back in Friday night."

"Good call. A potassium boost on Saturday morning will help spur brain activity."

Zack just shook his head at them before turning back to his study guide_. _He couldn't decide what was worse - the constant studying or listening to Cody and Bailey talk about their test without the slightest hint that they were closing to breaking like he was.

_The Tipton Lobby_

That same afternoon, across town, Maya was finishing up her shift at the fit&rec center. And when she was done, she stepped out in the snow and cold wind and silently gave thanks that her subway stop was right across the street. While she was happy to be getting off work, she was dreading heading back to the Tipton. She had definitely been able to tell that the stress level of the other three was growing rapidly. And even though Zack seemed to be the closest to cracking, she could tell despite their calm outward shells, Cody and Bailey were getting really freaked out as well. She knew they couldn't wait for Saturday afternoon, but she was wishing it would hurry up and get there almost as much as they did. Maya wished she knew of some way to give them just a few moments of relief. And she was still deep in thought about that as she rode the escalator up to the street from the subway station just down the street from the hotel. As she was walking up the the path to the front door, she didn't notice a patch of ice, and she would have slipped on it if she hadn't been able to catch herself in time.

"Whoa...that was close one. That could have been ugly. I better let Esteban know about that ice so he can have someone come out and salt it..."

Once inside, she made her way to the front desk, but there was no one there working it. And she noticed that there was already someone waiting in line in front of her. But Maya had nowhere she had to be and in no hurry to head upstairs, so she just waited hoping Esteban would show up soon. After about ten minutes, the young woman in front of her turned to face Maya.

"Do you know if there is someone working the front desk? I've been here almost fifteen minutes and nothing..."

Maya smiled. "I'm sure Esteban just got called away for a few minutes. He'll probably be back shortly."

"Do you work here?"

"Nah, my boyfriend lives here, so I've gotten to know everyone who works here pretty well. Well, not as well as he has but he has lived here for a while."

The young woman smiled. "Oh really? Maybe you might be able to help me then. I have a couple of old friends that I went to school with who used to live here too. Maybe you've run into them before? Do you know a Cody and Zack Martin?"

Maya smiled. "Yeah, I do. They live up on the 23rd floor. In fact, my boyfriend I was telling you about happens to be Zack."

The look of the young woman's face went from a happy to one that Maya couldn't decipher. She still had a smile on her face, but there was something in her eyes that Maya couldn't quite put a finger on. "Oh, he is, is he?"

"Yeah. We've been dating almost eight months now."

"You think he's here? I'd love to see him again."

And that's when Maya got an idea. Maybe seeing an old friend of theirs would be just the break everyone upstairs needed. "Sure. Just let me leave Esteban a note about what I was going to tell him, and then I'll take you up with me."

The young woman just grinned. "Sounds good to me."

"I'm Maya by the way. I don't believe I caught your name..."

"My name is Agnes..."

_Zack and Cody's Suite_

Back up in the suite, the studying kept going on. Of course, Zack decided that since Maya wasn't home yet, he could sneak himself a candy bar for a quick energy boost. He looked over and noticed Cody and Bailey were enthralled in what they were doing, so he figured now was the time to act. So, he got up and headed to his secret stash that he had hidden way in times of emergency. And to him, one little thing to make him happy during the agony of studying was good enough of an emergency for him. Quickly, he gobbled it down and shoved the wrapper into his pocket. He thought he had gotten away with it until Cody looked up and began shivering. Immediately, he began to rub his arms.

"Any one else just get a chill?"

Bailey looked up at him. "Nope, I didn't feel anything, Sweetie."

Zack sighed in relief that he hadn't been busted until he began to get a weird feeling himself. "I didn't feel a chill, but something definitely feels weird. I sense a disturbance in the force..."

"Zack, again, we aren't jedi..." Cody paused though as he too began getting a weird feeling. "Strike that. I'm beginning to sense that something is not right either..."

Bailey just shook her head and laughed. "You guys haven't been eating more Corsican fruit, have you?"

"No...Nothing like that. Its like all of a sudden I got this feeling of impending doom..."

Zack shuddered that time. "That's exactly what it feels like!"

About that time, the door to the suite opened, and it caused Cody and Zack to jump out of their seats startled.

Maya laughed as she walked inside. "Well, nice to see you guys again too..."

Zack tried to catch his breath. "No, I'm happy to see you, Babe, but you just startled us."

"Well, I have some good news for you and Cody. I ran into an old friend of yours down in the lobby who was looking for you two. Here she is..." At that moment, Agnes walked in and smiled.

"There you two are!"

Both Cody and Zack's eyes went wide in terror. "AGNES!"

She just kept grinning. "Codykins! Zackie-poo! Momma has come back to you again!"

_The Offices of London Inns_

Moseby was finishing up the last of his paperwork for the day when the door to his office swung open, and London walked in to his office just smiling at him.

"Hey Moseby."

He smiled back. "London. To what do I owe the honor of a visit from you today?"

"Oh, I just stopped in for a few minutes. You know, make sure everyone around here knows that I do make an appearance from time to time. Speaking of our employees, where's Zack? I stopped by his office, but all the lights are off. I haven't seen him around here all week."

"London, this is the first day this week you've been here. And as for Zack, I gave him the the week off to study for his GMAT on Saturday morning."

"That's right..." She shrugged. "Oh well. People have seen me here, so my job here is done. I need to head back to my penthouse. I meeting Todd in a couple of hours for dinner..."

Moseby spoke up. "Actually, since you're heading back to the Tipton, would you do me a favor?"

London rolled her eyes. "Do people forget I don't do favors?"

He just gave her a look. "Yeah, like the people close to you believe that any more..."

She sighed. "Fine. What is it that you need me to do?"

Moseby reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a couple of things. "Could you drop these envelopes off to Cody and Bailey for me? I told them I would write letters of recommendation for them, and I want to get these to them before they head back to New Haven on Saturday night."

"Letters of recommendation for what?"

"For their medical school applications."

London frowned. "I told them to let me know before they applied..."

"They haven't applied yet, and they won't until they get their test scores back. That won't happen for over another month, but since they'll be back in New Haven them, I wanted them to go ahead and get them to them already. Anyways, there is some kind of national service they have to use, and they asked me to write one of their three letters." He grinned. "I guess as the big boss man here, they thought it might carry a little weight..."

She just shook her head. "Moseby, I'm the big boss around here..." She grabbed the two envelopes out of his hand. "But I'll make sure they get them before they leave Boston." Once she left the office and waited for the elevator, she looked at the envelopes and grinned. "No offense, Moseby, but I think I know of someone whose name will carry quite a bit more weight than yours..."

_Zack and Cody's Suite_

The twins just stared at Agnes, their emotions alternating between being shocked at seeing her for the first time in almost seven years and at being terrified at seeing her for the first time in almost seven years. Of course, Bailey and Maya both noticed that neither of their boyfriends looked happy at all to see their old classmate. And if that didn't confuse them enough, both were taken aback by the odd nicknames this Agnes girl had for them.

Deciding to break the silence, Cody swallowed and spoke up. "Agnes...what are you doing here?"

She just smiled. "Well, you two disappeared on me years ago, and I've been looking for you ever since then. Do you two have any idea how long I've tried to find you both?" She paused. "And Zackie-poo, this girl here says she's your girlfriend. That can't be true, can it?"

Zack immediately got up and ran so he could stand next to Maya. Reaching down, he grabbed her hand before looking at Agnes. "Its absolutely 100% true!"

Agnes frowned again and turned to Cody and Bailey. "And who is this girl, Codykins?"

He shuddered at hearing that name once again. "This is my..." And he added extra emphasis to his next word. "...FIANCEE, Bailey."

She frowned grew. "You're going to get married to this girl?"

Cody could only nod. "Oh yeah! I'm counting down the days! Bailey is the girl of my dreams." And as to emphasize that point, he leaned over and pulled Bailey in for a long kiss.

Agnes paused, and it was evident to the twins that she was not happy at all. "I see. So, you guys went off and got yourself other girls. I can't say I'm not hurt though. So, what happened to you guys exactly?"

Zack paused. "Ummm...we went to a high school on a cruise ship. And now, Maya and I are in college at..." He paused as he didn't want to tell her where they went to school. "...Providence College!"

Cody took Zack's idea and ran with it. "And Bailey and I are at...Princeton!. We're heading back to New Jersey this weekend. We're just here in Boston on Christmas break..."

"Oh. Well, I was thinking of moving back to Boston and was hoping to see you guys around more often..."

Zack let our a nervous laugh. "Darn our luck. And we'd love to hang out with you again too, but we can't. You see, we we all have standardized tests to take on Saturday, and then we're heading back to our respective colleges that evening. Unfortunately, we only have two more days to study, and we can't afford to be wasting any time. Sorry we missed out on getting to hang out with you, but it was really nice seeing you again, Agnes. See you around..."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, its too bad..." And with that, both of them practically ushered Agnes out the door as she was trying to speak. "But..." But before she could finish her thought, they closed the door behind her and dead bolted it. Once they felt they were now safe, both Zack and Cody slumped against the door and wiped the sweat from their brows.

Maya just stared at him in disbelief. "Zack? What was that all about? And that was very rude what you did to an old friend of yours!"

Bailey spoke up. "And why did you both lie to her about where we all go to school? Why would you two do something like that?"

Zack shook his head. "Okay, first of all, Agnes is no old friend of ours!"

Cody quickly agreed. "More like an old stalker of ours! She alternated having a unhealthy infatuation with both of us. At last I remember, it had swung to Zack when she backed him in the election for class president in middle school..."

Zack turned to glare at his brother. "Oh no you don't! Don't put this on me! You're the one she wanted first! And if you hadn't had to be such a nice guy, we never would never have had to deal with her in the first place!"

The girls just looked at each other and shook their heads in confusion. "Okay... Will one of you start from the beginning and tell us what you guys are talking about?"

So, for the next half hour, alternating back and forth, Cody and Zack filled their girlfriends in on the saga of Agnes and the terror she had been on their lives.

Zack sighed. "One of the perks of being on the ship was we didn't have to worry about her sneaking up on us ever again. She had no idea where we were..."

Cody nodded. "And that's why we gave her fake universities. I have no desire for her to show up at Yale to surprise us. Bails, think of her has more stubborn and aggressive female version of Moose with a couple of extra screws loose. She once told me to go out and sow my wild oats but that eventually, I'd return back to her. Trust me, seeing her again is the last thing I want. I figured if I told her we went to Princeton, she would show up there if anywhere. I was just trying to nip in the bud anything bad from happening in the future..."

"And I told her Providence for pretty much the same reason. Plus, if she thinks we don't live in Boston, she won't want to move back here. I have no desire to see her show up back here at the hotel or at BU. She's crazier than...well...I can think of anything right now to compare her to."

Bailey and Maya just looked at each other for a few minutes before they both busted out laughing. Both pulled their boyfriends into hugs.

"Don't worry. We'll protect you from the big, bad Agnes."

"Yeah, you two have us to keep her away from you two..."

Zack pulled back from Maya and looked angry. "You think this is funny? Was it hilarious when that Bruno guy was stalking you?"

Cody was upset as well. "Or when Kyle was terrorizing the women of our dorm? You two don't know Agnes the way we do. We know what she is capable of!"

Maya and Bailey both cringed at remembering those incidents and how funny was probably the last word they would have used to describe them.

"Sorry, Babe. I guess I just wasn't thinking when I laughed..."

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, that was completely uncalled for on our parts. I'm really sorry, Cody. You guys would know her better than us, and if you tell us that she can be that...unhinged, we believe you."

Maya sighed. "I agree. But while it was in bad form, I meant what I said, Zack. If she tries to bother you again, then she'll learn first hand what I've learned in our martial arts class."

"Same here, Sweetie. That Agnes girl would have to go through me first. And while I couldn't neuter her with my bare hands, she would end up hog tied just like Kyle did..."

Zack and Cody both sighed. "Its okay. I think Zack and I both let our stress over these tests to cause us to exponentially lose our cool more than we normally would have. I guess I wasn't doing as good of a job as I thought of keeping myself calm, and her appearance was like a fuse to a ticking time bomb. I'm sorry for getting short with you, Bails. I know you will always have my back..."

Zack nodded. "Same here, Maya. These two can testify that I just about lost my mind earlier this afternoon. I think the stress from the GMAT made me overreact, and I'm sorry too."

"We understand. I've been going a little crazy too, Cody Bear."

Maya hugged Zack again. "I guess since I'm not studying, I thought I knew how stressed you were. But I didn't fully realize just how it was getting to you. I really think you guys need a break."

"We've talked about that. Friday afternoon when you get home from work, we're all going to stop studying and head out to have some fun. Until then, I hope you can deal with our three levels on insanity. If we get too bad, just tell us..."

She smiled. "I think I can do that..."

The next couple of days, Zack, Cody and Bailey hit the home stretch of their test preparation. On Thursday, they all took practice tests and were for the most part pleased with how they did. But on Friday they went back over the areas they felt they needed extra work on. And for Cody and Bailey, they did this while they did their laundry. That was going to be their only time to do so before they moved back to New Haven on Saturday night.

Finally, when Maya returned home from work on Friday afternoon, everyone closed their study materials for the last time. They all headed out for an early movie and an earlier dinner.

"What sounds good?"

Zack stopped to think. "How about Mexican?"

Cody and Bailey just looked at him. "Yeah, think again. I would prefer something that won't cause havoc on my digestive system in the morning."

"Yeah, good call. Italian it is then..."

Bailey shrugged. "Yeah, that will work. Carb loading might actually be useful..."

After their night out, they were all back at the hotel by nine thirty. And after getting a wake up call for 5:30 and setting seven alarms, Cody and Bailey called it a night.

The next morning, everyone was up and dressed by 6:30. And after downing a bunch of bananas between the three of them, they thought they were ready. And even though she didn't have to be up, Maya was even though she was still half asleep.

"Well, guys...I wish you all good luck."

Zack leaned in and kissed her. "I'll take one of those for luck. I'll see you later, Babe..."

"Yeah, you will. Don't forget, my parents will be in town this afternoon."

He nodded. "I remember. I'll worry about that later though..."

"Good. Just worry about your tests right now..."

Bailey, Cody and Zack just all looked at each other and nodded. "Time to rock and roll..."

_To be Continued..._

**AN: I won absolutely nothing on the Derby yesterday. And it really stings that the winner was named I'll Have Another, and I had no money on it. SMH**_  
><em>


	17. Meet the Bennetts

_Episode 17_

_"Meet the Bennetts"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Boston Testing Center_

About two o'clock that afternoon, Zack walked out of his testing room feeling like he had just ran a marathon and then gone fifteen rounds with the heavyweight champion. But as much as he would have loved nothing better than to head home and pass out on the couch, he knew that wasn't an option. In fact, with his test now over with, all of his thoughts and focus went towards meeting Maya's parents in the matter of a few of hours. And that's when his nerves began wreaking havoc on him. Checking out his reflection in the door, he knew he definitely needed to get cleaned up, but he couldn't leave the testing center until Cody and Bailey were done with the MCAT. So, he just checked his watch and began pacing back and forth as the minutes passed by. Realizing he was wearing out a path in the carpet, he sat down, but his nerves never let up any. Around 2:15, Cody and Bailey finally walked out of their testing room only to find Zack sitting in a chair tapping his foot rapidly. And when he saw them, he jumped up and ran over to them.

"Its about time! We're going to be late!"

Cody smirked. "Gee. Sorry to have kept you waiting, but we wanted to make sure we used every last minute that we could have. I'm kind of surprised that you didn't."

"Oh, I did. My exam finished about fifteen minutes ago."

"So, how do you think you did?"

Zack shook his head, turned and began walking towards the door. "We can talk about that later. We only have a little over two hours to get home, cleaned up and to the stadium to meet Maya and her parents. Now is not the time to be wasting valuable minutes! Besides, I figure we can talk about the exams once we're on the subway..."

Cody and Bailey just looked at each other and shrugged. So, the three of them headed out of the testing center and down the street to the subway stop. And that's when Zack saw the train that they needed to get back to the Tipton pulling away from the station. Realized that they had just missed, he just hung his head and sighed. For the next ten minutes, Cody and Bailey sat on a bench to wait for the next train while Zack just paced back and forth in front of them checking his watch every so often as if he was personally willing it to get there faster. And just as he was about to have a nervous breakdown, the next one rolled into the station. Quickly, they climbed on board and took seats in the back of the car. And once they got moving, Cody turned to his brother.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Cody shook his head. "You said we could talk about our tests once we got on the subway. How was the GMAT?"

Zack shrugged. "It was alright. I will say those tips Maria gave me actually came in really handy. Thanks to them, I was able to spot some trick questions that before would have held me up. So overall, I think I might have actually done decently well on it..." He paused. "...well, at least better than I did on my practice test. Now, the big question is if I did good enough for BU. How about you two? How was the MCAT?"

Bailey turned to Cody. "Well, I'm really glad we went back over hydrocarbons and thermodynamics yesterday. Both of those seemed to be pretty heavily covered on the test."

He nodded. "Tell me about it. And was it just me or did the verbal reasoning section seem really, really easy?"

She just looked at him. "Really? I didn't think it was overly difficult but there was one section that I thought was pretty tricky. I had to double check myself to make sure I wasn't missing something..."

Zack rolled his eyes. "So, I'm taking it that you both think you did pretty well on it..."

Cody shrugged. "I think so, but we won't know until we get our scores back next month. I've learned my lesson not to get too confident about something until you know for sure. I'm not counting on or expecting anything until then..."

Close to a quarter till three, they finally arrived back at the Tipton and quickly made their way upstairs to their room. And as they made their way into the suite, Zack spoke up again.

"Okay, everyone do what you have to do in the bathroom in ten minutes. We need to get in and out of here as quickly as possible. And Broseph, I never thought I'd ever have to tell you this, but you need to shave! I know you haven't yet this week, but I will expect you to do so now..."

Cody sighed. "Wouldn't we have more time if you used Mom's shower while we used the one in here? That way I can shave while Bailey showers..."

Zack paused. "Good idea. But just hurry!"

Zack practically ran into his room, and Cody turned to Bailey. "Does he think we're trying to impress someone?"

She smiled at him. "No, but he is trying to impress Maya's parents. The least we can do is to try not to make it any worse for him. We both know how nerve racking that can be..."

"I know, but is fun to see him him squirm..."

Bailey laughed. "Besides, he is right - you are getting kind of scruffy, Sweetie..." She teased him. "But with the current rate you grow facial hair, it might take you years to grow that mustache when we're older..."

Cody just looked at her before grinning. "Oh, I'm going to get you for that!" He reached town to tickle Bailey and she shrieked as he chased her into the bathroom.

Forty-five minutes later, Cody and Bailey were showered, shaved, and dressed sitting on the couch waiting for Zack to come out of his room.

"And he said we were slowing him down?"

Before Bailey could respond to that, Zack finally emerged out of his room dressed in leather shoes, pleated khakis, and a green sweater with a green and white plaid button up shirt underneath of it.

Cody could only laugh. "It looks like a J. Crew catalog threw up all over you..."

Zack checked himself out in the mirror. "Good! Mimi thought this would be an appropriate outfit for tonight." He paused when he saw what they were wearing – sneakers, jeans and matching green hooded Celtics sweatshirts. "That's what you two are actually going to wear?"

"Ummm...Yeah. Remember, after the game, we're coming back here to pack up and head back to New Haven tonight."

Bailey shrugged. "Besides, everything else we own - besides what we wore earlier today- is already packed away in our bags."

Zack shook his head and sighed. "Fine. Whatever. Lets just get going then." He checked his watch again. "We have about thirty minutes to get to the arena. We're going to be cutting this awfully close..."

_Outside the TD Garden_

Fortunately for Zack, the TD Garden was situated right over top of one of Boston's largest subway hubs, so they were able to catch a train from the Tipton straight to it. And once they got to the station, they could just take an escalator up to the lobby area outside of the arena's perimeter. Once they found the gate they were supposed to meet at, Zack immediately spotted Maya and her parents standing there waiting on them. So, he took one last chance to make sure his zipper was up and to pop an Altoid to freshen his breath. Once he was satisfied with his appearance, they began walking over towards the Bennetts, and that's when Maya spotted them. Immediately, she ran over to them and hugged Zack.

"Well, how did it go?"

He shrugged. "I guess I'll find out in a month, but I didn't think it was so bad."

She turned to Cody and Bailey. "And the MCAT?"

"About the same."

By that time, Maya's parents had followed her over, and she turned back to address her parents. "Mom, Dad, I would like you to finally meet Zack Martin, his twin brother Cody and Cody's fiancee, Bailey. Guys, these are my parents, Anthony and Julia Bennett."

After wiping the sweat off on to his pants, Zack stuck out his hand to shake her father's hand. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Bennett." He shook her mother's hand too. "And you as well, Mrs. Bennett."

Maya's mother smiled at him. "Its good to finally meet you too, Zack. Maya's told us so much about you that its nice to finally be able to put a face to the stories."

He father nodded too. "And we understand you all have already had very busy days with the MCAT and GMAT. You guys must be completely wiped out by now..."

Zack smiled. "Yeah, that's an apt description of how I feel right now. Right now, I think I'm running off of adrenaline. So if I get a blank look on my face later, its probably because my brain is taking a few minutes to shut down and heal itself from the battle it fought earlier."

Mr. Bennett laughed. "I know the feeling all too well myself. After the LSAT, I went stupid for a few hours. And don't get me started on the bar exam. I don't really have any recollections of the first few hours after it..."

Mrs. Bennett laughed too. "Oh, I remember. I picked him up from it and drove him home. Several times I thought I was going to have to take him to the emergency room because he had slipped in a catatonic state. He may say it was a few hours, but it took him a few days to get back something even close to resembling normal. So, if any of you act a little strange, we completely understand."

Zack laughed. "I appreciate that, but if my brother or soon to be sister-in-law act a little strange, well...that's just how they are usually..."

Cody sighed. "Thanks, Bro...We appreciate that."

Maya's Dad laughed again. "And that reminds me of how my brother and I act around each other. Well, shall we head on in? Looks like we have three rooting for the Knicks and three rooting for the Celtics. Should be interesting."

Zack sighed. "A few years ago, maybe. Right now, the Celtics are Rondo and a bunch of untested rookies and role players. Losing Pierce, Garnett and Allen almost all at the same time has left us in a serious rebuilding mode right now..."

He grinned. "Should be an easy Knicks win then..."

And it was. While Zack and Cody had never had such good seats at a basketball game before, it was diminished as they watched New York beat the living daylights out of the young Celtics team. When it was over, the Bennetts were all on cloud nine while Zack and Cody could just shake their heads. Bailey wasn't really affected one way or another as she hadn't been converted to the C's like she had been with the Red Sox. But, she was sympathetic to her fiance's acceptance of the loss. When the game was over, they all stayed in their seats to let the stadium empty out first. And as they sat there, Mr. Bennett spoke up again.

"Well, this is cause for a celebration. Dinner is on me tonight!"

Zack agreed, but Cody and Bailey had to politely decline. "We appreciate the tickets, Mr. Bennett, but we won't be able to join you all for dinner. Bailey and I have to get back to the Tipton, pack up and get on the road. Classes start back for us on Monday, so we need to get back to New Haven tonight. Tomorrow is the only chance we'll have to meet with our advisers, and there are a couple of classes we need to get permission to take."

Maya's mother nodded. "We completely understand. It was nice meeting the both of you, and I wish you both good luck with your classes and with your scores on your exam this morning..."

And with that, Cody and Bailey bid goodbye to everyone and made their way to the subway station in the basement.

_The Tipton Hotel_

Once they got back to the hotel and got everything packed up and loaded in the car, it was close to 8:30. So based on that, they knew it would probably be pretty late by the time they got back to campus. They did stop by the cabaret to say goodbye to Carey before heading out. And once again, she was unhappy to see them have to go back so soon as she said it felt like she hardly had a chance to spend any time with them. Unfortunately, her next show was about to begin, so they left and headed out to catch the elevator down to the garage. But when the doors to it opened it, they were stopped from getting on it by someone shouting out their names.

"Cody! Bailey! Hold up you two!"

They both turned to see London running up to them.

"Hey, London. What's up? Cody and I were just about to leave to head back to New Haven."

She caught her breath. "I kind of figured that, but I needed to give these to you before you left." She handed them a manilla envelope.

Bailey took it. "What do you mean by 'these'?"

"They're the letters of recommendation you asked Moseby to write for you. I saw him the other day at the office, and he asked me to give them to you. He said you two were going to have your tests today, right?"

Cody could only nod as it looked like their goal of keeping it a secret from London was now shot. "Yeah, this morning..."

"So, once you get your scores next month, you'll be ready to begin applying to medical schools then, right?"

Bailey could only nod in defeat too. "Yeah, tomorrow we're going to work on our applications through the American Medical College Admission Service. We've ordered copies of our transcripts, and we'll mail them in with Moseby's letter, a letter we each got from a doctor at the Tipton clinic and one from a professor of ours. We want to be ready to sent out our applications as soon as our scores come in."

London nodded. "Well, there is another letter in there for each of you that you might want to include too. Daddy wrote a personal letter of recommendation for each of you as well." She smiled. "I think one from him will look really good when schools look at you."

Bailey and Cody were both shocked at hearing that. "He did? Why would he do that?"

She laughed. "Like I've said before, Daddy is impressed with the two of you. I mean, you are among the only people who have gotten the best of him twice and lived to talk about it. Besides, he thinks it would look even better on him if you two got into a really good school. That's why he wanted to know when you two were going to be applying. He said he would be as helpful as he could..."

"Wow..." Cody shook his head. "Didn't see that coming..."

Bailey could only nod. "Me either, but please do tell your father 'thank you' for us..."

"Yeah, yeah. Now that you two have this stuff almost done with, we can finally talk about something more important. We can finally start talking about the plans for your wedding!"

Bailey laughed. "Well, you know we've picked a day, and we promise we'll give it some more thought now that we have the time."

London rolled her eyes. "You two have been engaged almost seven months, and all you have so far is a date? Snails move faster than you two!"

Cody paused. "Well, we did have one idea, but it would be so impossible to pull off that we dismissed it almost immediately."

"Yeah? What was the idea?"

Bailey smiled. "Well, since our first date ever was in Hawaii, we thought it would be symbolic and romantic to get married on a beach there or on a cliff overlooking the ocean. But with the sheer number of friends and family members we would want to invite, its just not practical. Plus, it would cost so much money for them just to fly out there and then there would be the costs of hotel rooms. We couldn't ask the people we care about to do that just for our wedding."

London just nodded. "Yeah, I guess I can see that. Well, I'll let you two get going then." She hugged them both. "You two take care of each other for me."

Cody smiled. "We will. And again, tell your father 'thank you' for us. See you later, London." And with that, the elevator door opened up again, and Cody and Bailey dragged their bags inside.

Once it closed, London just stood there as a grin spread across her face. "Bailey, Bailey, Bailey. Don't you know nothing is impossible for a Tipton? But, I should be thanking you - you've just given me my next pet project to work on..."

_O'Shea's Steak House_

Shortly after Cody and Bailey made their departure from the arena, Zack, Maya and the Bennetts left as well. When they got outside and were making their way towards the subway station, Mr. Bennett asked Zack what the best steakhouse in Boston was. He had to stop and think about that as he wasn't one to usually eat at the higher end restaurants in town. Zack knew of several upscale places that were a la carte, but he remembered Cody telling him about another place. According to Cody, Chef Paulo said O'Shea's Steak House was actually the best one in town and one of the best kept secrets to boot. Plus, eating there wouldn't require you to sign over your first born child to cover the bill. So, Zack suggested it, and everyone else seemed to think that was a good idea. So, after calling to get a reservation and checking his phone to find the closest subway stop to it, they were on their way. And when they got there, they were seated fairly quickly and began perusing the menu. Once they placed their orders, everyone had a chance to finally talk and get to know each other better.

"So, Zack...Maya was telling us earlier about her upcoming schedule this semester. Is yours going to be a busy one too?"

Zack paused before nodding. "Sort of. I'll only be taking four classes, but one of them will be the second semester of a field experience clerkship. So, while I won't be in an actual classroom as much as normal, I'll have to put in four hundred hours over the course of the semester to satisfy it. Fortunately for me, I will get credit for it for just going to work."

Mrs. Bennett's eyes went wide in surprise. "Four hundred hours? That's basically ten forty hour work weeks in addition to your other classes. Sounds like you're going to be extremely busy!"

He laughed. "Well, on the surface it does, but my boss, Mr. Moseby and I have found a way for me to knock out big chunks of hours at one time. He sends me to various of the London Inns around the Northeast, and I secretly review and grade them in such areas like cleanliness, maintenance, customer service and other things like that. So, while I'm there, I'm always on the clock accumulating hours even when I'm just sleeping. Tomorrow afternoon, I'm heading off to Burlington, Vermont on Lake Champlain for a couple of days. So, while I'm taking it easy and recovering from this past week of studying and my test this morning, I'll be accumulating hours. When I get back to Boston on Tuesday afternoon, I will already have 48 of my 400 for the semester out of the way."

Mr. Bennett laughed. "I like it! Knocking out two birds with one stone. Plus, taking advantage of the perks that your job gives you. Smart thinking."

"Well, the perks are pretty nice, but not nearly as good as the ones your job gives you. Those seats today were absolutely amazing, and you get to meet and hang out with professional athletes all the time. To me, that would be awesome!"

"Well, I do enjoy my job. And being in New York makes it so much easier. We have two baseball teams, two football teams, two basketball teams with the Nets now in Brooklyn and three hockey teams if you include the Devils. That's nine teams in the big four sports all within the metro area. And that doesn't include all the teams within a short drive like Boston or Philly. So, I consider myself very fortunate."

Zack nodded. "I bet. I do have to ask though - is being an agent anything like the movie _Jerry Maguire_ portrayed it to be?"

"Well, everyone does want you to show them the money!" He laughed again. "But to be truthful, that movie did change things up quite a bit. Athletes all of sudden wanted better relationships with their agents. So, we all had to cut down on the sheer number of clients we had so we could have more time for them. Fortunately, at the time, I had just gotten in on some clients that were up and comers who are now big stars in their respective sports. So, I'm doing just fine, but some of my coworkers weren't so lucky. And its helped me learn that if you do a good job, word will spread and bring you in even more clients."

"I can completely understand that. The world of professional sports has always fascinated me. When I was younger, I was a fan of the Seattle teams and then of the Boston teams once we moved here..." He paused. "...And even though I love the Celtsics now, I'm still sad that Sonics don't exist anymore..."

Mr. Bennett just nodded. "Yeah, that was heartbreaking. I have clients who always get scared when their team goes up for sale..."

"Well, until a couple of weeks ago, I had almost forgotten that our friend London Tipton had owned the Arizona Cardinals a few years ago."

Mr. Bennett cringed. "Ah, yes...I do remember that. The ill fated Arizona Sparklies. I had several clients who refused to even talk to that organization then while she owned them. Fortunately, everything seems back to normal..." He smiled. "...well, as normal as they ever are with the Cardinals."

Zack laughed. "I bet. Man, I bet you know all the secret wheelings and dealings, don't you? Is there anything big that could go down soon?"

"Well, you know Dwight Howard still wants out of Orlando pretty badly, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Word is he is so upset with his agent for not getting something done, he's looking to shop around for a new one that will. Supposedly, he wants to come to the Nets pretty bad, but his agent is still pushing for him to go to the Lakers. I hear that has caused a big rift between them. Unfortunately, no one can confirm as its still all rumors at this point. After that last fiasco where he caught so much heat, I think Dwight is holding everything close to his chest..."

Zack nodded. "Yeah, he is. He was really shocked and hurt about how bad everyone was making him out to be the last time. And I know he wants to go to the Nets because he and Deron Williams are pretty good friends. And from what I remember, they played pretty darn well together..."

Mr. Bennett just looked at him in surprise. "How do you know all of that?"

"Well, Dwight is the younger half brother of my boss, Marion Moseby. Whenever he's in town, he always stops by to see us. And he and I have kind of became friends over our mutual love of giving Moseby a hard time. As for he and Deron, those two and Kevin Love came to visit us our senior year over Christmas break..."

Maya sighed. "I still can't believe I missed that..."

"And while they were there, me, Cody and our buddy Woody played 3 on 3 against those three. They could have slaughtered us, but they let us win because Moseby was getting on their case about not playing hard enough. All three of those guys are pretty cool, and I still stay in contact with them every so often. In fact, we're in negotiations with them to do endorsements for London Inns." Zack paused as an idea came to him. "You know, Mr. Bennett, if you want, I could give Dwight a call and see if he would take a meeting with you..."

Mr. Bennett's eyes went wide. "Are you serious? Zack, that would be amazing!"

_New Haven_

About eleven thirty that night, Cody and Bailey finally parked their car in a parking spot right outside of Berkeley College. They would have been back sooner, but they had stopped along the way to grab some dinner. After going all day with only eating some bananas before their exam and sharing some popcorn at the game, they had been starving. Starting with their laptops and Cody's new printer, they carried up there first load to Cody's room. And when they opened the door, they found Tapeworm and Gertie lounging back on the futon and watching TV.

"Well, well...the prodigal son and daughter finally return. We were starting to worry you guys weren't coming back..."

Cody shook his head and sighed. "Oh, we're here. We've just had a really long day."

Gertie spoke up. "That's right. How did your test go this morning?"

By then, Bailey had the standard response ready. "We think fine, but we'll find out for sure in a month when we get our scores in. Until then, we just don't know yet."

Cody pulled out his cell phone to show Tapeworm a picture he had taken. "Here, take a look at this..."

Tapeworm looked at it and frowned. "What is it?"

Cody grinned. "The view from our court side seats this afternoon for the Celtics and Knicks game..."

"What?" He shook his head. "No way!"

"Way! Maya's Dad is an agent, he got the seats for us all. In fact, today was the first time they and Zack have met. Hope all is going well for them."

"Yeah, same here. I know that feeling." Tapeworm shook his head. "But man...you all were close enough to hear the coaches cussing or have a player land on you when they dove for a loose ball..."

Bailey laughed. "Well, no one dove on us, but we did hear some very colorful language. In fact, we heard some words used to together to form phrases that we didn't know existed before. But as much fun as that was, after the past several weeks, we're happy to just be back here again."

Gertie smiled. "Your American tour that much fun, huh?"

"It was, but it was also extremely exhausting. I'm just glad its over with now. Anyways, did you guys have a good break?"

"It was fine though not as much traveling as yours. We pretty much just took it easy to rest up for the spring semester."

Cody laughed. "Well, as soon as we finish unloading and dropping the car off, we can begin our 24 hours of resting that were going to get on our breaks."

Bailey shook her head. "Don't listen to him. Our few days in Miami were very relaxing. As much fun as our spring break was last year, I can see the allure of spending a week of doing nothing but laying out on the beach and relaxing."

Tapeworm laughed too. "Yeah, I noticed you both had tans. I guess that proves Cody isn't half albino after all..."

Gertie shook her head at her boyfriend this time. "Ignore him. He's probably just jealous that you all had great weather while it was cold and wet in both Amherst and Maryland."

Bailey laughed. "We did have some good weather. I think it dipped down below 80 degrees on us once while we were there. Unfortunately, word is mother nature is going to get even with us this winter." She turned to Cody. "You ready to finish getting everything unloaded so we can call it a night?"

He yawned. "More than. I'm glad school is starting back again so I can catch up on my sleep and not study as much..."

_Boston_

After they ate, everyone was full and said the meal had indeed been wonderful. And while the Bennetts waited to pay the bill, Zack headed outside to make a phone call. And he was still outside on the phone when Maya and her parents came outside to find him. When he finally hung up, he walked over to join them again with a big smile on his face.

"Mr. Bennett, does next Thursday at eleven in the morning work for you?"

His eyes went wide. "Are you saying he'll actually meet with me?"

Zack nodded. "He did...if you don't mind doing it in Orlando."

"Oh, I'll be there! Zack, thank you so much!"

He shrugged. "No big deal, Mr. Bennett. He said he'd meet you in the lobby of the Orlando Tipton at 10:00 AM. Just glad I could help..."

"You certainly did. And please, call me Tony."

Maya's mother smiled. "And call me Julia. And, we insist you join us for breakfast in the morning before our flight leaves out."

"I'd love to. In fact, if you tell me where you guys are staying, I can even pick you up and drop you off at the airport on my way out of town. That way, you won't have to wait on a shuttle, a cab or the subway."

"Sounds good to me. We're at the Boston Harbor Hotel. We can have breakfast at the restaurant inside. Do you know where that is?"

"I certainly do."

"How about 9:00 AM then?" Julia turned to Maya. "Does that work for you too, Honey?"

Maya nodded. "Sure thing, Mom. I'll just take the subway over to the Tipton and ride over with Zack."

"Good. Well, I'm sure Zack must be exhausted after such a long day, so we should probably call it a night..." She paused. "Once I figure out how to get us back to our hotel..."

Zack smiled. "You guys want me to write down the directions for you?"

Julia laughed. "If you wouldn't mind..."

Quickly, Zack jotted down a few notes for them. "Okay, you're going to take the Orange line south until you get to the State Street Station. Get off there and switch over the Blue Line going east towards the shore. From there, you'll want to get off at the Aquarium Station as that's the closest one to your hotel..."

She smiled at them. "Thank you ever so much..." She paused. "Which way do you go to get back to your dorm, Maya?"

Maya just smiled. "I'll take the Orange to the station just past the State Street one, Downtown Crossings, before I catch the Green Line west to BU."

Zack spoke up. "And I'll ride along with her to make sure she gets home safely..."

Julia smiled. "What a very chivalrous and gentlemanly thing to do, Zack. Thank you for doing that."

He just grinned. "Its my pleasure..."

"Well, we should get moving then. Its getting cold out here." Mr. Bennett smiled. "Zack, it has been a pleasure finally getting to meet you. I feel so much better knowing Maya has such a fine young man like yourself in her life."

They made their way to the subway, and once Maya's parents got off at their stop, Zack and Maya just slumped back into their seats. Well, they did until Zack busted out laughing. Maya turned to him.

"What's so funny?"

He shook his head. "I think they actually liked me..."

She smiled. "Of course they did. I knew they would." She began laughing too. "Of course, after you hooked up my Dad, and then acted like a real gentleman in front of my Mom, I think you're golden in their books."

Zack smiled back at her. "Well, it wasn't saving the family farm, but it was nice to be helpful. Right now, I just want to go to bed though..." He paused. "...well, after I call Mimi and tell her that she was right."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Just a FYI, looks the series finale might end up being a three part episode now. I just need to figure out what I want to do with the twist at the end of part 2.**


	18. Really Not That Funny

_Episode 18_

_"Really Not That Funny"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Boston_

Even though the alarm went off a 7:30 the next morning, Zack was happy that it he had gotten to sleep in almost two hours later than he had the day before. After he and Maya had each grabbed a shower, they both packed a bag for their excursion to Lake Champlain later on that day. And by 8:30, they were ready to head out of the hotel to head over and meet Maya's parents for breakfast. As they were about to leave the suite, Zack suddenly got a funny feeling in his stomach as if something wasn't quite right. But for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what it was. And Maya quickly picked up on the look of apprehension on his face.

"Zack? Is everything okay?"

He paused. "I don't know. For some reason, I'm thinking we're forgetting something really important..."

She stopped to look around herself. "I don't think so. I think we have everything we need to take to Burlington with us after we drop my parents off at the airport. We both have our bags packed with everything we'll need."

And that's when it finally dawned on him what the problem was.

"Maya! We can't have two separate bags! You're parents know I'm hitting the road after I drop them off at the airport, but they don't know that you're going with me! If they see two bags in the trunk, they may start asking questions that we don't want to have to answer!"

Maya stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes went wide too. "You're right!" She paused. "But do you think it will be that big of a deal? I mean...they already know that I stayed with you the night before and then when we went down to Miami a couple of weeks ago..."

"And they we're probably under the assumption that one of us slept on the couch..."

"Well...maybe..."

He just looked at her. "Yeah, big difference! Here, the probably thought my Mom was around, and there, we were under the supervision of my Dad. And I know they think you're back at the dorms now because you said so last night. If they know you're going with me, they'll know for sure. And your parents do seem to like me. I don't want this to blow up on me less than 24 hours later!" He stopped to think trying to find a solution to their problem. "Okay, this won't be so difficult. We can just put all of our things into a bigger bag, and if your parents do ask, I can just say I'm taking some work with me to do while I'm there..." He checked his watch. "But we have to hurry or else we're going to be late..."

So, that's what they did. And it was close to a quarter till nine when they finally left the suite pulling one larger bag behind them. And fortunately, it was a Sunday morning and traffic wasn't that bad. Still, Zack took every shortcut he knew about, and both sighed with relief when they pulled into the Boston Harbor Hotel parking garage at 8:57. As quickly as they could, they parked the car and hurried up to the lobby. Fortunately for them, they had been standing there for all of ten seconds when the elevator doors opened up with her parents inside.

When he saw them standing there, Tony smiled. "Ahhh. There you two are! And right on time. Punctuality is a good quality to have." He turned to his wife. "Honey, why don't you go ahead and check us out while Zack and I take our bags down to his car? And Maya, why don't you head into the restaurant to grab us a table? And Zack, give Julia your parking slip to get it validated."

So, everyone went their separate ways, and Zack and Tony headed down to the parking garage. And when Mr. Bennett saw Zack's car, he just whistled in admiration.

"What a beauty! She's a classic!"

Zack smiled. "I like her. Though this time a year, driving with the top down would leave me a frozen block of ice. And I know it doesn't have the modern amenities of and guzzles gas more than my brother's hybrid, but I wouldn't trade him vehicles for anything..."

"You don't have to tell me about that. I had a convertible like this when I was your age too, and I still miss it everyday. Unfortunately, they don't make very good family cars, and I had to sell it when Maya came along. However, in a few years, my goal is to buy another one just like it and restore it when I have the time. There's no feeling in the world like feeling that power underneath of you as the wind whips through your hair..."

They loaded the bags into the trunk, and Zack was thankful when Mr. Bennett saw one bag in there already and made no mention regarding it whatsoever. So thinking they had gotten away with it, Zack felt a large weight lift off of his shoulders. And as they walked back to the elevator and waited for it to get there, Maya's Dad turned to Zack.

"Look, while we have a few minutes to ourselves, there is something I need to talk to you about. Maya told me about what you did to protect her when that juiced up miscreant tried to attack her. I would have mentioned it last night, but we decided her mother would only worry if she knew. Thank you for protecting my little girl."

Zack smiled again. "I had to, Mr...Tony. Maya means a great deal to me – I love her. I wasn't about to let anyone hurt her without going through me first."

Tony smiled too. "I'm glad to hear that. As a father, you just want your kids to be happy, healthy and safe. Several years ago, Maya wasn't happy, and it was because she was missing you something fierce. So, when she said she wanted to come back a year early and move to Boston to be near you, I just accepted it. And I wished her luck in getting you back even though I could completely understand your hesitance in letting her back into your life. I don't think I've ever heard her so happy as when she called us to tell us that you two were back together again. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you for making her smile again."

"Well, she makes me smile too. And even though I wouldn't admit it back then, I had really missed her too. I've never been happier either, Tony."

"Good." Tony winked at him. "Now that we have all that out of the way, I hope you two have fun up in Vermont. And say hello to Champ for me if you two happen to see him..."

Zack just looked at him with his mouth wide open in shock as Tony began laughing.

_New Haven_

About one hundred and twenty five miles as the crow flies to the southwest in New Haven, Connecticut, Cody and Bailey were spending their first morning back on campus reacclimating to the food in the dining hall before heading off to meet their Biology and EP&E advisers. First up was their Biology adviser, and according to her, they just needed four more classes to complete the requirements for their bachelor of science degrees. Two of those classes would be two semesters of their year long senior project they would take as seniors. The other two classes were open for them to take whatever they wanted as long as both were above the 200 level, and one had the had the extra requirement that it be a class with a number above 350. Cody and Bailey just smiled at hearing that. On one of their flights over Christmas break, they had perused the course catalog for the spring semester and had found two classes that both sounded interesting and would satisfy both of those requirements. Of course, soon after leaving their meeting with their adviser, they immediately headed over to the office of the professor of one of the classes they had chosen to attempt to get his permission to enroll in the class. Fortunately for them, there were two final spots left open in it that they were able to secure.

After that, it was on to meet with their EP&E adviser. And in that meeting, they learned they had five classes that they had to take to get their bachelor of art degrees in it. Two of those classes would be taken their senior years - a one semester advanced seminar and a one semester senior project. That left them three other courses they needed to complete, and all of them needed to fulfill a slot in their areas of concentration. The semester before, they had completed one of the four for it, and of the remaining three, two of them had to be seminar classes and one could be a lecture class. Once again, Cody and Bailey just smiled as the classes they had found in the course catalog for the spring semester would satisfy those requirements perfectly. And like before, they had to pay visits to two professors to see if there was room for them in those classes. Unlike their Biology one though, both of those classes still had less than ten people already signed up for them. So, they were able to secure spots with rather ease.

On the way back to Berkeley North, they picked up the transcripts they had ordered, and when they got back to their rooms, they put those as well as all of their letters of recommendations in to envelopes that they would mail to AMCAS in the morning. After pulling out their laptops and accessing the website, they double checked their progress in the application process and found out there was nothing else they could do until they got their MCAT scores in. Seeing that, Cody and Bailey just smiled and decided to take the rest of Sunday off to relax and take it easy. Well, they would after a trip to the bookstore, but they actually found that to be fun.

Monday brought with it the first day of school, and the schedule Cody and Bailey had approved was going to be their earliest ending and lightest one to date. In fact, they only had two classes that met more than one day a week, and those were the only two that would have finals. The first was PLSC (Political Science) 257, Bioethics and Law, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00-10:15 with a discussion section on Monday mornings from 9:00-9:50. That would satisfy the one lecture class they were allowed in their EP&E areas of concentration. The other class they had that met more than one day a week was MCDB 240, Biology of Reproduction, and it would meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30-11:45. That course would satisfy their Biology requirement of a class above the 200 level.

Their other three classes would only meet once a week. The first fulfilled their Biology requirement of a class about the 350 level, and it was MCDB 450, the Human Genome which met on Monday mornings from 10:30AM-12:30PM. Not only did that class sound completely fascinating to Cody and Bailey, but they thought it would also give them additional information for their senior projects in both of their majors. Their final two classes would be seminar classes to complete their EP&E areas of concentration. The first was CSYC (College Seminar, Yale College) 206, The True Costs of Medical Advancements - A Look at the Economics Of Medical Research, Discoveries and Technology, on Wednesday mornings from 9:00-11:00. The other was CSBK (College Seminar, Berkeley College) 201, The Role of Government in Medical Advancements, on Friday mornings from 9:00-11:00. To them, these worked perfectly to help them with their senior projects. While the seminar they had taken the previous semester dealt with bioethics from a philosophical standpoint, these two would look at them from economical and political points of view. They hoped when it came time to do their senior projects, they would already have the vast majority of their research already done thanks to those three classes. The only downside to them was those two would be their third and fourth College Seminar courses, and the university put a limit of four that any student could take.

And while Cody and Bailey absolutely loved their schedules, there was someone who could only shake his head in both amazement and disgust at them. Once he looked at the printouts of their schedule, Tapeworm just glared at the both of them.

"So, let me get this straight. Your only class on Wednesdays is in the Bass Library which is underground between the two halves of Berkeley College, and you two can get there via the tunnels in the basement. And then your only class on Fridays is actually here in Berkeley College itself about four floors below us. So, two days a week, you two won't ever have to step foot outside for a second to eat, study or go to class..."

Cody and Bailey just smiled at him and nodded. "Yeah, pretty much..."

He continued. "And both of your classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays are in Harkness Hall which by my estimate is about a hundred yards across Cross Campus from where we are are sitting right now. So, while you will have to go outside some, you'll only be out there for five minutes tops. Or...if you were both Usain Bolt, about ten seconds. Oh, that's right, you do have a discussion section for one of them, but whoops, its actually down in the Bass Library too..."

"Again, pretty much. But, we will have to go all the way up to Science Hill for our Human Genome class on Mondays..."

Tapeworm rolled his eyes. "Oh please..." He collected himself. "One day a weak, you guys have to leave a hundred yard radius of our rooms. Poor babies. But lets talk about that class...you're so called..." He used his fingers to make quotation marks. "...late class. And what time does it let out? Oh, that's right - 12:30! That's still before lunch! Your other days, you two are done with classes by either 11:00 or 11:45 in the morning." He just shook his head again. "Un-freaking-believable!"

Gertie laughed as she rubbed his back. "Okay, I admit, its an incredible schedule, but they just got lucky this semester with the way things fell."

Bailey spoke up. "And this is our first semester without having any labs. Those were usually our afternoon classes, and we've finished with all of them we have to take. And we do still have five classes we're taking, so its not like we aren't taking a full class load."

Tapeworm sighed. "I know, but I can't stop picturing in my mind later this month and on into February and March. While Gertie and I will be hiking across campus in blizzards, subzero wind chills and snowbanks so deep you could bury a body in, you two will be strolling into your classes without even having to wear a coat..."

Cody just laughed. "Then you probably don't want to know the other perk we learned about today via an e-mail."

Tapeworm hung his head. "Go ahead and tell me..."

"Well, with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day being next Monday, our class on this Friday normally would be canceled. But our professor said if we would all agree to meet on Friday night from 7:00-9:00 PM, he would order pizzas for all of us while we had class and watched a documentary. And if we did that, he would cancel the class the Friday before reading week began. So, we would get an extra day again for it too..."

Tapeworm grabbed his pillow, pressed it against his face, and screamed into it. Once he put it down, he just shook his head again. "I know I said it before, but un-freaking-believable!"

_Boston_

Zack and Maya had a fun and relaxing few days in Burlington along Lake Champlain. To quote the movie _Office Space_, they did nothing, and it was everything they dreamed it could be. Due to the weather, they couldn't enjoy any activities out on the lake, but they did find time to go skiing on Monday morning. Unfortunately for them, Tuesday afternoon came all too soon, and their trip had to come to an end. About noon on Tuesday, they checked out of their room, loaded up his car and began the drive back to Boston. And like she had the past couple of days, Maya would break out in laughter every so often.

Zack just shook his head and sighed. "Its really not that funny..."

Maya turned and looked at him. "Oh yeah, it is! When you and my Dad got back to the table on Sunday, it looked like you had just seen a ghost! I'll never forget the look on your face for as long as I live. I mean...I had heard of someone's being that pale before, but I had never seen it before."

"Well, how would you have preferred me to act? I mean...your Dad just let me know that he was aware that you were coming along on my little trip with me. Should I have said 'Yes sir, your only daughter and I will be shacking up in a hotel for a couple of days, but you don't need to worry because she spends several nights a week in my suite at the Tipton anyways so its not a big deal...'?"

Maya laughed again. "Well, probably not, but at least we know its something we don't have to worry about them finding out later on. I mean...now, my parents and both of yours know, and all of them seem to be okay with it."

Zack sighed again. "I guess, but at that moment, I felt like I was going to need a change of underpants..."

"Well, you weren't the only one surprised. When my Mom joined me at the table, she just smiled and asked me if you had finally gotten some sleep the previous night. I was pretty shocked too that she had figured out that I had stayed with you the night before, but I didn't freak out."

"Yeah, but they are your parents. There was no chance that they were going to kill you. I was just thankful that your Dad decided to change the subject, and the topic was never brought up again. I mean, you heard what Bailey said about her Dad reacted when they told him the exact same thing. And by then, he had known Cody for four years and had actually approved of him marrying Bailey. If he acted like that under those conditions, can you imagine how much worse your Dad's response could have been?"

Maya just shook her head and smiled. "But he didn't. Anyways, you know we have to make a couple of stops once we get back to Boston, right?"

He glanced over at her. "We do? What for?"

"Well, for one, we have to get me moved back into my dorm room this afternoon. Classes start back tomorrow. And as they do, we should probably make a stop by the book store..."

Zack groaned. "I had almost let myself forget that classes start tomorrow. But do you really have to move back in to your room today?"

Maya nodded. "I'm afraid so, Babe. Eight o'clock class first thing in the morning."

"How many days a week will you have them?"

"Everyday but Friday."

He shook his head. "That sucks! I sleep so much better when you're there with me..."

She smiled. "So do I. And it doesn't mean I won't on some nights, but just not every night. It takes you how long to get from your office to campus on average?"

He stopped to think. "About 20-30 minutes I guess."

"That would mean I would have to leave the Tipton by 7:15 AM at the latest to make sure I got to my first class on time. At my dorm, I can just be waking up by then."

"I understand, I just don't like it..."

Maya smiled at him again. "Don't worry. You'll still see me everyday for lunch. And since our first classes will be about the same time on Fridays mornings, I can stay with you on Thursday nights..."

And Maya was right. With both of their schedules, they would see a lot of each other despite the restraints on their time caused by classes and jobs. Like Zack had said, he would only have three real classes in addition to SHA HF 240, Hospitality Field Experience II. The first was SMG AC 222, Managerial Accounting, on Mondays and Wednesday afternoons from 3:30-5:00. That was the third of five classes he needed for his minor. His second class of the semester was was SHA HF 410, Finance for the Hospitality Industry, on Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons from 3:30-5:00. His third and final class was SHA HF 231, Human Resources Management for the Hospitality Industry, on Friday mornings from 9:30-12:30. With that schedule, Zack could still work from 8:00-1:00 Mondays through Thursdays to get in 20 hours a week. Of course, even with that and the couple of days in Burlington, he figured he'd have to do a few more working weekends to get his 400 hours in.

On the other hand, Maya's schedule was much fuller than Zack's. And like she had said, she did inded have eight AM classes almost every morning. The first was SAR AT 356, Examination and Diagnosis of Orthopedic Conditions, and it had lectures on Mondays and Wednesday mornings from 8:00-10:00 with its lab section on Friday from 10:00-12:00. And on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings from 8:00-9:30, she had SAR HP 353, Organization and Delivery of Health Care in the U.S. as her other early class. Further, she had SAR AT 305, Athletic Training Practicum III on Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00. But the class she was really dreading that semester was SAR HS 369, Gross Human Anatomy, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00-12:30 with its accompanying lab section on Tuesdays from 3:00-6:00. While she didn't think it would even remotely come close to what she would find in a medical school class of the same name, she was pretty sure she would have to use a scalpel at some point. Her final class of the semester would knock out her final social science requirement. It was CAS PS 251, Psychology of Personality: Theories and Application, and it would be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00-12:30. While it didn't sound all that interesting to her, she had heard that the professor was really good as well as it being a fairly easy class.

Of course, Maya would still work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. So, their schedules allowed them to have lunch with each other every day. Plus, they both got out of class about the same time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and they could go straight to their martial arts classes from there. All in all, while their classes didn't sound like the most exciting of ones, both were happy with their schedules_._

_New Haven_

Cody and Bailey weren't the only ones who had meetings with their advisers the first week of the spring semester. However, when Tapeworm and Gertie had theirs, they both learned something that they felt was professionally good news, but both feared how it would affect their personal lives. And the rest of their days after their meetings, both fretted about how to break their news to the other. After dinner that night, Tapeworm asked Gertie if she wanted go for a walk with him. While he decided he would divulge his news to her then, she also figured that it would be as good a time as any to tell him hers too. And as they were walking, both almost stopped at the same time to look at each other.

"Dennis..."

"Gertie..."

Both looked at each other in surprise as they had both spoke at the same time. He just smiled though. "Ladies first."

She smiled back. "Thank you. There's something I need to talk to you about. You see, I spoke with my adviser today and learned something very interesting. While I'm on pace to graduate with my bachelor's degree next spring, I learned that it would be very beneficial to me to have a master's degree when I go to get my architect's license..." She paused to scrounge the courage she needed to finish what she had to say. And once she started talking, she just blurted it all out. "And if I stay here at Yale, based on my work so far, they will admit me to the master's program without having to take the GRE. And since its one of the best program's in the country..."

He finished her though for her. "You're staying here to finish your education. And you should." He smiled at her. "Congratulations, Honey! That's an amazing accomplishment! I'm so proud of you!"

Gertie shook her head. "But I won't do it if it effects us! Dennis, I'm head over heels in love with you. I know you're the one for me. And we are more important to me than..."

But before she could finish though, Tapeworm put his finger up to her lips to shush her. "I know. And for the record, I'm head over heels in love with you too. But there is something I need to tell you as well. I had a meeting with my adviser today too. And from the sounds of it, the conversation I had pretty much mirrored yours. I was advised to continue on with my education too to make me stand out in the work force. A bachelor's degree will get me far, but a masters or doctoral degree can take me all the way. My adviser suggested that I go for my masters and then see if I wanted to get a doctoral afterwards. And like you, my previous work will get me in the door too with nothing else needed." He smiled. "And like you again, I wanted to talk to you about it before I decided anything..."

This time Gertie beamed at him. "Its my turn to say congratulations and say how proud of you that I am!"

He leaned in and kissed her. "Thanks. I was scared to death to tell you because I don't want to lose you."

"And you won't." She squeezed his hand. "Looks like you are stuck with me here at Yale for at least three more years. And once we get our masters, we'll figure it out from there."

Tapeworm sighed in relief. "Sounds perfect to me."

"Me too." Gertie laughed. "Just think, you'll have a masters. I'll be essentially dating my very own Howard Wolowitz."

He laughed too. "Great. You already know Howard is my middle name. Does that mean I'll have to start wearing funky belt buckles now?"

"Nah. But I do think I finally have a good nickname for you - Howie!"

He shrugged and laughed again. "Could be worse. Unfortunately, all the fictional architects I can think of are guys like Mike Brady or Ted Mosby..." He grinned. "I know Cody keeps our room immaculate, but I doubt he'd like it if I started calling him Alice..."

Gertie laughed this time. "Yeah, probably not. Nor if we called Bailey Sam the Butcher. I guess there aren't too many female architects on TV..."

Tapeworm paused and grinned. "I think I do have a good nickname for you though..."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Well, you used my middle name. Isn't your middle name Gaines because it was your mother's maiden name?"

She sighed. "Yeah. I love my parents, but they did me no favors when they named me..."

He laughed. "Well, your first too initials are G's. I'm going to start calling you...Gigi."

Gertie paused to think about it. "You know what...I like it!" She paused. "Now, Howie, if you don't mind, its freezing cold out here. How about we head back inside?"

He just smiled. "Whatever you say, Gigi. Lets head back inside our dorm. I mean, it does look like we're going to be there for a while..."

_Boston_

On Thursday morning, Zack was working on finishing his review of the Burlington London Inn when his intercom began crackling, and he soon heard Moseby's voice.

_"Zack?"_

He pushed the talk button. "Yeah, I'm here. I'll have this review done for you before I leave for class today, Moseby..."

_"Oh, okay. But this isn't in regards to that. London just called and said she was on her way up. She would like to speak with the two of us for a few minutes."_

Zack just shrugged. "Alright. I'm on my way."

He headed down the hall to Moseby's office, and once inside, he took a seat across from Moseby's desk.

"So, what's this all about?"

Moseby shook his head. "To be perfectly honest, I haven't the foggiest idea."

At that moment, London strolled in to the office and closed the door behind her. And when she saw both Moseby and Zack were there, she smiled as she took the chair next to Zack.

"Good. You're both already here. I needed to talk to you both about something very secretive. What I say here cannot leave this room!"

Both Zack and Moseby nodded.

"Okay. As you know, Tipton Hotels and London Inns have already teamed up to bring back a new S.S. Tipton, and its still on schedule to set sail this summer. But we've received such an overwhelming response to it, we've decided to team up again on another joint venture."

Moseby spoke up. "And what exactly would that be?"

She grinned. "Well, lets just say I've got some legal red tape for you to sort through, Moseby. And Zack, I need you to do some on site research for me. I was thinking you could do it over your spring break, and you'd be able to get even more hours to count towards your one class this semester."

Zack's face fell. "But Maya and I were planning on going somewhere warm and relaxing for spring break. You know...a chance to get away and unwind."

London shrugged. "That's fine. Take her with you. I think getting a female opinion would be get a good idea too. Moseby, you can even take Tut too. I think we want the opinion of an older crowd too. The more opinions we can get, the better."

By now, Zack and Moseby were really confused. "I don't understand, London. Opinions on what?"

She looked back and forth between them and smiled. "Alright, let me explain. You've both heard of Hilton Head Island, right?"

Both nodded, so London continued. "Anyways, Daddy has always been ticked off that the Hiltons had their own island, and he didn't. Well, that's about to change. One of the small island nations in the Caribbean has been hit hard by a downturn in the economy and has agreed to sell to Daddy one of its smaller uninhabited islands. So, soon, there is going to be a Tipton Island!"

Now Zack and Moseby were both blown away by her announcement. "Wow..."

"While the main resort on the island will be a Tipton resort along the lines of the Atlantis Resort, there is enough room to have a more economical London Inn on the other end of the island. It won't have the same amenities, but I want it to be as nice as possible. And that's were you two come in. Moseby, you're good at all of this legal mumbo jumbo. I want you to research everything we'll need to keep things on the up and up. And Zack, your job is to head down there and essentially spy on our biggest competitor. There is another resort on the main island there that we want to crush! Find out what they do good, and we'll do it even better! Find out what they don't do good, and we'll use it in promotions against them!"

Moseby and Zack just looked at each other and smiled. "We're in!"

Zack paused. "How secretive should we be? Can I brag to everyone about how I'll get to go the Caribbean for spring break while they aren't?

London paused as a thought entered her mind. "Actually, don't. Instead, invite them to go too. Like I said, the more opinions we have, the better. So make a list of everyone you want to take down with you and that you can trust, and give it to me next week. Daddy will make reservations for you through some of his...secret holdings so they can't be traced back to us."

Zack grinned. "Don't worry...I think I know several people who jump at a chance like this..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: I want to take this opportunity to send out a shout out and big thank you to the websites of Yale and Boston University. Both of them are relatively easy to navigate and made me finding out information for this and other stories not such a chore. Now, there are other schools' websites that I researched for Season 4 that shall be remain nameless now that were a complete pain in the butt...**


	19. The Power of a Kiss

_Episode 19_

_"The Power of a Kiss"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

As January continued to pass by, everyone was easing back into the routine of being back in school. Well, not everyone. Cody and Bailey didn't really need a transition period as they didn't have the a month away from studying like almost everyone else did. Actually, like Cody had said the night they moved back to New Haven, it was much the opposite. The first several weeks of the semester, he and Bailey were actually studying less than they had been for the MCAT. While everyone else was struggling to hit the books again, they were struggling to keep themselves busy with all of their sudden extra free time. So, they spent a lot of time practicing for the upcoming intramural ping pong. Not that they weren't enjoying school - they were. They were immensely enjoying their schedule especially when winter began hitting New England with its full force. As as February approached, it showed no signs of letting up any, and actually was looking to get even worse. On a Wednesday afternoon, Tapeworm returned back from his last class of the afternoon, and he was shivering and feeling like a human icicle. Not only was it a full fledged blizzard outside, but there was a windchill of -15 degrees. But when he walked into the common room of his and Cody's dorm room, all he could see was Cody and Bailey sitting back on the futon watching TV. He quickly surmised that the weather was having no effect on them as they were wearing long sleeved t-shirts and pajama pants.

He just shook his head. "Well...don't you two look just all warm and toasty. I, on the other hand, can't feel my feet even though I have on two pairs of wool socks..."

Cody just smiled. "Yeah, we looked out the window in the stairwell when we came up the stairs. It looks pretty nasty out there."

"Its worse than it looks..." He smirked. "But since you two haven't had to go outside today, you wouldn't really know that! I bet you two came back from class and began lounging around while the rest of us braved the elements..."

Bailey laughed. "Actually, we've had a pretty busy day. We went to breakfast, then to class, came back up to our rooms, changed out our books in our backpacks, went down for lunch, and then went over to the library to do our homework. We just got back here ourselves about fifteen minutes ago."

"Still, you never once had to take one step outside!"

Cody grinned. "Okay, you got us there. But, I have been to Antarctica, and this would be considered a balmy day down there. So, you need to have a little perspective. And if it makes you feel any better, just think about where we'll all be in a month and half. Then, we'll all be down in the Caribbean for spring break taking it easy while soaking up the warm rays of the sun. One day there, and all of this will seem like a distant memory..."

Tapeworm paused as he considered that. "That is true. And that does remind me. I need to call Zack and thank him yet again for thinking of Gertie and I and hooking us up with such an awesome trip like that..."

"More like thank London. She's the one putting on this trip for everyone. Of course, what we're going to while we're down there does fall into that gray area of business ethics, but I'm not naive to think that this kind of stuff doesn't go on all the time..."

He laughed. "Dude, after today, I'm willing to hack into that resort's computer system if it means I'll get to feel warm weather again..."

Bailey shook her head. "I don't know about all of that. Small countries like the one we're going to will throw you in jail and forget that you're there. While they may pattern their judicial systems after the one here, that doesn't mean you'd actually get something like due process or the presumption of innocent until proven guilty. Trust us, we know. We were all thrown in jail on Parrot Island for doing absolutely no reason..."

Cody paused. "Well, most of you were. Zack and I did try to orchestrate a jail break. Pretty sure that would be frowned upon everywhere..."

Tapeworm shook his head and laughed. "Man, the more I hear about some of the things you guys did on that boat, the more I wish I could have gone to school on the ship."

Cody smiled. "Well, while it was a lot of fun and has forever changed my life..." He squeezed Bailey's hand. "...I think things have turned out pretty well for you as it is."

"Yeah, I guess you're right...well, except for the fact that I'm just now getting feeling back into my toes. And the feeling I am getting is complete and total pain..." He grimaced. "I really could do without that..."

At that moment, the door opened, and Gertie walked inside in a manner indicating she was almost frozen solid as well.

"Its freezing out there!"

Bailey smiled. "We know, Tapeworm made sure we were aware of that fact. And he's already sufficiently chastised us for not having gone outside yet today..."

Gertie shook her head. "Well, good - that saves me from having to do it then myself..." She turned to Tapeworm. "I'm going upstairs and taking a hot shower, Howie. Hopefully, that will help me thaw out."

He nodded. "Good idea, Gigi. I think I might just do the same." He smiled at her. "Look at it this way, now that were inside, we don't have to go back outside in it either..."

"Fine with me. I'll be glad to not feel like a frozen slap of beef for the rest of the day. I'll meet you back down here in about an hour."

After Gertie headed back up to her room, and Tapeworm headed into his room to change, Cody and Bailey just looked at each other.

Cody mouthed to her. "Howie?"

Bailey shrugged and mouthed back. "Gigi?"

He shrugged too before taking a chance to look through the blinds again.

"It really does like pretty miserable out there..."

Bailey snuggled up closer to him. "Which is why I'm happy right where I am. No place else I want to be."

He smiled. "So, a suggestion that we head out to build a snowman or have a snowball fight would be rejected, huh?"

She laughed. "I would say so. In fact, I'm more than happy to just stay right here until dinner. And I have no problem heading to the dining room wearing my pajama pants."

"Me either, Sweetie, and I doubt we'd be the only ones."

Bailey smiled and leaned in and whispered to him. "Right now, the only thing that could get me to get up off of this futon would be if we could go take a hot shower together right now ourselves."

Cody grinned and whispered back. "You wouldn't have to ask me twice. Its days like this I wish we had our own private bathroom..." He paused before laughing. "I doubt the guys on my floor would mind if you showed up in there with me, but if I showed up in yours, I think the ladies on your floor might get a wee bit upset._"_

_Boston_

New Haven wasn't the only part of New England being ravished by the harsh winter weather as Boston was getting hit just as bad. And thanks to the taller buildings around dowtown, wind tunnels were forming everywhere. Zack would have stopped to laugh at all the people chasing around their hats, but the stinging wind made him keep moving himself. Even worse was the entrances to the subway stations. When the cold air from above met the warm air pumped into the stations, it was almost as if tiny twisters were forming. And no matter how close the stations were to where they were going, weather like that made everyone wish they were even closer. On that Thursday evening after their martial arts class, Zack and Maya walked back to the Tipton lobby almost frozen solid. Even by the time they entered the suite on the 23rd floor, Maya's teeth were still chattering.

"S...s...six more weeks until we're in the Caribbean. That's the only way I've been able to handle the weather lately."

Zack was shivering too. "You don't have to remind me. I think everyone is using that same thought to keep them going lately." He paused. "Well, almost. Tapeworm gave me a call this morning to thank me again for including he and Gertie, and he let me know some interesting information. Did you know Cody and Bailey have two days a week where they don't have to go outside at all if they don't want to? They can get to their classes and the dining hall through underground tunnels!"

"Are you serious? That must be nice!"

"I know, right? After walking from the office to the subway and from the subway to my class today, I was a frozen block of ice for the first twenty minutes of my class this afternoon. And by the time we got to our class, I was ready to kick some boards because I knew I couldn't feel my feet in case I did it wrong..."

"You and me both, Babe. I'm thinking a dip in the jacuzzi to thaw before we get some dinner sounds good."

He grinned. "Sounds good to me too. But, I do think I have a way of getting a little payback on Cody and Bailey. I had another meeting with London today, and she gave me all kinds of brochures and pamphlets for this place we're going to look at. I think I have a way of sharing our misery with them..."

"Well, not too much. I might need their help studying for my anatomy class later on..."

"Don't worry. It'll be educational for them too. You want to hear something else kind of funny?"

"Sure."

"Well, it seems that London and her father are really paranoid about not having our trip being able to be traced back to them in anyway. So, all of our rooms are being put under the name of Tapeworm's girlfriend, Gertie. She's the only one that no one could directly tie back to London or London Inns or me in some way. Beyond the rest of us having gone to school with either me or London at some time, you're my girlfriend, Cody is my brother, Bailey is his fiancee and London's old roommate, Marcus was my old roommate, Woody was Cody's old roommate, and Addison is his girlfriend. We could have put it under Courtney's name, but London was afraid that due to Marcus' celebrity status, they could easily link her to him."

"Couldn't they just as easy find that Gertie is Bailey's roommate at Yale?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah, I guess so, but London thinks we should be okay there. She says Yale is pretty stingy with giving away the personal information about its students. Besides, its worse for Moseby and Tut. They are going to have to go under fake names."

Maya laughed. "It feels like we are doing some kind of convert operation or something."

"Because we are. I just hope it goes better than the last time I did one because it was a huge letdown."

She just gave him a funny look. "What do you mean the last time you did one?"

He frowned. "I've told you that story, haven't I?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so..."

Zack shrugged and filled her in on his and Cody's brief role as spies. And when he finished the story, Maya was almost crying she was laughing so hard.

"So, you two kept the world safe from calorie free mayonnaise?"

He sighed. "So it would seem..." He paused. "The only thing I really learned from it is that Bailey can get Cody to do pretty much whatever she wants just by kissing him..."

Maya paused before she leaned in and kissed him. "Do I have the same effect on you?"

Zack could only nod. "Uh huh..."

She laughed. "That's good to know. Anyways, I promise this time you won't have to deal with anyone having a grotesque red appendage. Well, unless someone gets a really bad sunburn while we're there. My guess would be Woody..."

Zack laughed too. "Yeah, that seems like a safe bet. So, what do you want to do tonight after the hot tub and dinner?"

"Anything as long as it doesn't involve us leaving the hotel."

"Good call. We could always come back here and order one of the movies the hotel offers."

She smiled. "One of the perks of you living here."

He paused. "You know, speaking of how to spend an evening, do you know what three weeks from tomorrow is?"

Maya stopped to think. "Three weeks, that would be...Valentine's Day."

"Specifically, our first Valentine's Day since we've been back together. I want to do something special for it."

She smiled. "Sounds good to me."

He smiled too. "Good, because I've already got the ball rolling on a little surprise for you. I've already made reservations for something I think we'll both enjoy. So, don't go making any other plans for that Saturday night three weeks from tomorrow."

"I won't...but do I get any hints as to what your surprise is?"

"Nope."

"Not even a little one?"

"Uh uh..."

She leaned in and kissed him again. "How about now?"

He sighed weakly. "Maya..."

Maya just began laughing. "Oh, alright...I'll take your word on it then and won't ruin the surprise. But can you least tell me what the dress code is so I'll know what to wear? I might want to buy something special for that night."

Zack paused. That was a good question that he wouldn't know the answer to until it was closer to that day. "Ummm...I'll have to get back to you on that..."

_New Haven_

The next three weeks passed by pretty rapidly and uneventfully. Well, unless you count Mother Nature continuing her full out assault on the New England seaboard. In those two weeks, there were more days that it snowed than days when it didn't. And unbeknownst to everyone at Yale, the weather was about to throw a serious monkey wrench into everyone's Valentine's Day plans. Tapeworm and Gertie were planning on going out to a restaurant they liked across town while Cody and Bailey were planning on heading to New York to spend the night out on the town again with Marcus and Courtney again. Marcus had even managed to get reservations for the rotating restaurant with the view of the Empire State Building for them that evening.

But by noon that day, as Cody and Bailey watched the latest weather report, they soon learned that they might be be forced to change their plans. And then they heard the news that made their trip to New York an impossibility, Cody and Bailey just looked at each other and sighed.

"I'll make the call."

Cody pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed his friend's number. After a few rings, Marcus picked up.

_"Hey! Cody! What time you are you Bailey leaving to head down here?"_

He sighed. "Unfortunately, Marcus, we're not going to be able to make it today. We just saw on the news that there was a terrible wreck on the interstate due to ice. Even if we were inclined to risk it ourselves, they just said that southbound I-95 would be closed the rest of the day. There's no way for us to get there other than taking side roads, and who knows how dangerous they might be..."

_Marcus shook his head. "That sucks, Man. Court and I were looking forward to seeing you guys again."_

"Same here with Bailey and I. But look on the bright side, we'll see you both in about a month. We'll just have to postpone our dinner to then." Cody smiled. "And down in the Caribbean, I seriously doubt that there is any way that snow and ice will interfere with it..."

_Marcus laughed. "Good point. Unless an ice sculpture falls on one of us. Anyways, I completely understand with this weather we have. I wouldn't want you to to risk the side roads in conditions like these. Who knows what could happen if you two got stuck out in weather like this. So, just stay where you are. I'm sure Court will understand too. We'll still head off to the restaurant and take pictures for you guys..."_

"I appreciate that, Marcus. Alright, well, I'll let you get back to what you were doing. We have to see if we can make last minute plans here, so that should be fun."

And fun it was. Everywhere they called within walking distance of their dorm was already booked solid even with the weather. They were beginning to get a little desperate when Tapeworm and Gertie walked into the room.

"Hey guys. What's up? Shouldn't you two be on your way to New York by now?"

Bailey sighed. "The interstate got shut down, and we've been trying to find a back up plan around campus without any luck..."

"We know the feeling. We got a text about an hour ago saying that our restaurant in across town had ice snap their power lines was closing for the day. So, we've had to scramble too. Fortunately, Howie was able to get us a reservation for BW3s tonight at 10:00. All things considered, its better than nothing, and its kind of special to us in that that's where we spent the Valentine's Day our freshmen years together. Plus, we figured we'd go see a movie first before we headed over."

Tapeworm nodded. "If you want, I can call and see if I can get our table for two changed to a table for four..."

Bailey and Cody just looked at each other and shrugged. "If you wouldn't mind..."

"Not a problem."

And fortunately, it wasn't a problem. So, that left them the rest of the afternoon to take it easy, do nothing and more importantly stay indoors. Of course, to thank them for being willing to include them in their dinner plans, Cody and Bailey insisted that the movie tickets be on them. So, after checking the movie times, they decided on a 7:45 showing of _National Treasure 3_. About 5:15, everyone began getting ready to make sure they left the dorm by 6:45 to give them enough time to walk to the theater in the weather, get snacks and get good seats.

As they began the walk over, Cody turned to Bailey. "Sorry about today."

"What are you sorry about?"

He sighed. "Well, chicken wings aren't my idea of romance. And I know it won't come close to the plans we did have."

Bailey smiled at him. "Cody, don't worry about it. Its not your fault we didn't get to go to New York. And our plans tonight do sound like fun to me."

"I know, but it seems like an ordinary date night. Valentine's Day is about doing more than that and showing you how much you mean to me."

"Sweetie, I got the roses you sent me." She pulled off her glove temporarily. "And this ring is a constant reminder of how much I mean to you. Besides, Valentine's Day is about spending quality time with the person you love. We're spending it with each other, so mission accomplished."

Cody thought about that and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He smiled. "I mean...it won't be the first time one of our dates didn't go the way we would have wanted it to."

"Exactly. And we have Gertie and Tapeworm with us. So, it won't be like we have a third wheel like that one time..."

"How could I ever forget that. I didn't think we were ever going to get rid of Zack..."

"Or Woody. Thankfully, they both have special someones of their own now."

Cody smiled. "I know. I hope they are all having better luck with their Valentine's Day than we are..."

_Boston_

Meanwhile, in Boston, Valentine's Day had arrived as well. And that afternoon, every fifteen minutes, Zack kept checking his phone to see what the weather forecast for that evening was. But by three o'clock, he knew he couldn't wait any longer, so he made a phone call. But all he got was a voice mail message. So once he left a message ando and hung up, he could only hope that Mother Nature would cut him a little slack. If not, his surprise could end up backfiring on him in a big way. No offense to Marcus or to his brother, but he was hoping the storm cell that was currently reeking havoc on New York City and New Haven would take its time moving east towards Boston. And if the meteorologists were correct, it wouldn't move into the Boston area until sometime early Sunday morning. Zack checked his watch again and saw that the first part of his surprise for Maya should began being carried out soon, so he made one final phone to add the finishing touches to it.

Finally about 4:15, he did get a phone call that everything was a go for that evening, and Zack slumped back into the couch and sighed in relief. It looked like he was going to be able to pull all of this off just barely. Now, all he could do was wait and then be ready to pick up Maya when it was time. Fortunately, she wasn't around to watch him almost have a nervous breakdown that afternoon. While it was a Saturday, the fit&rec center had practically begged her to come in and work the front desk that day. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have been scheduled to work, but the person who was supposed to cover the desk called in with a mysterious sudden case of the flu. However, Maya made it clear to her boss that she couldn't work past 5:00 as she had plans for the evening.

Not that he wouldn't have preferred to spend the day with Maya, but all of his last minute scrambling was much easier to do without her there. Meanwhile, across town, about 4:30 that afternoon, Maya was sitting at the front desk of the fit&rec center counting down the minutes until she could leave when a deliver man walked up to her.

"Maya Bennett?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "That's me..."

He smiled. "I have a delivery for you. Happy Valentine's Day."

And with that, he placed a stuffed animal and box of chocolates on the counter in front of her.

"Wow..." She tipped him a couple of dollars before turning her attention back onto her surprise delivery. And that's when she saw there was a card attached to the box of chocolates. Opening it up, she pulled the note out and read it.

_"__Dear, Maya, _

_Happy Valentine's Day! This is just the beginning of what I have planned. As for the rest, be ready by seven o'clock, and I'll pick you up at your dorm then. I know you asked what to wear, and it wasn't until a little while ago that I could answer that. Yes, I know that makes no sense right now, but you'll understand later. So, wear something nice and red for tonight. I don't think you'll need to dress too warmly though, but you might find a coat helpful later on. Anyways, Happy Valentine's Day again, and I'll see you in a little while. _

_Love, Zack."_

Maya just shook her head and smiled. Zack was right - that made no sense to her at all, but if he went to this much trouble, she would play along and see what he had up his sleeve. So, at seven o'clock, she was wearing her new red dress and had her makeup done to perfection. At 7:03, there was a knock at her door, and she opened it to find Zack standing there smiling at her while holding a dozen roses.

"Happy Valentine's Day!"

She smiled as she let him in. "Happy Valentine's Day to you too!" And that's when she got a good look at what he was wearing. It was a black suit with a red shirt and red tie. "Look at you! You're looking extremely handsome tonight. I might have to use my new skills to fend off other women tonight..."

He grinned. "I don't know about that. Actually, it will be me having to use what I've learned. You look smoking hot tonight!"

She laughed. "Well, with such kind words as that, I'll overlook the fact that you're late."

Zack held up his hands. "Not my fault. Rosie stopped me downstairs to talk for a minute. After I saw firsthand what he's capable of doing, there was no way I was going to say no to him!"

Maya laughed again. "I was just teasing you. Let me put these flowers in water, and we'll get going."

He nodded and checked his watch. "Good idea. We've only got 25 minutes to get there or they'll leave without us."

She turned and gave him a look. "Who will leave to go where with out us? Are we going somewhere tonight?"

"You'll see..."

So, Maya quickly put the flowers in a vase before Zack grabbed her hand to lead her out. By then, she was really getting curious as to what he had planned, and she grew even more so when Zack parked his car just outside of a pier on the St. Charles River.

"Zack, what are we doing here? Its a little too cold for a walk along the river..."

He smiled. "Well, I figured we met on a boat and had our first Valentine's Day together on one. So, I figured it would be appropriate for us to have our first one back on Valentine's Day dinner cruise."

Maya eyes went wide as the biggest smile formed on her face. "A dinner cruise? I love that idea!" She paused. "But we're not going to get stuck out there if the river freezes around us, are we?"

Zack laughed. "Trust me, I've been worrying about that exact same thing all afternoon. And this is why I couldn't tell you what the dress code was sooner than I did. But late this afternoon, they called me and told me that the captain thought everything should be fine while were out there." He paused. "Plus, even if we did get frozen out on the river, they have a helicopter to airlift us out of there. Besides, the storm hitting New York and New Haven is slow moving and isn't supposed to get here until overnight. By then, we'll hopefully be back at the Tipton all safe, sound and warm..."

She grinned. "Well, even if they did have to use the helicopter, it wouldn't be your first time hanging up in the air like that..."

He shook his head. "Yeah, I don't think I'll ever forget that as long as I live. At least there wouldn't be any balloons that birds would be trying to pop..." He offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

She hooked her arm with his. "We shall. Oh yeah, I spoke with my Dad this afternoon. He said the next time they are in town, he's taking us all out for a celebratory dinner somewhere really nice. He wants to show his thanks to you for helping him sign his newest client..."

"Oh yeah? Well, when have you ever known me to turn down a free meal?"

Maya laughed. "Never that I know about..."

And the dinner on the cruise was delicious. And once dinner was over, a band began playing while couples were invited to dance on the dance floor. So, Zack and Maya obliged them and joined everyone out there. And while they did, Maya teased him.

"You know, maybe we should take dance lessons like Cody and Bailey did..."

He laughed. "You think we should? Why?"

"I definitely think we should. I love dancing with you, but my feet would be happy if you didn't step on them so much..."

He cringed. "Sorry...But to be fair, I didn't get to live the same day over and over and take dance lessons like Cody did..."

She just looked at him again. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Zack shook his head. "Nevermind...its a long story."

"Okay...anyways, I will be expecting a foot rub later on."

He laughed. "Oh, you do, do you? What makes you think you'll get one of those from me?"

Maya leaned in and kissed him again. "Because of that..."

Zack just sighed. "Fine...I'm as bad as Cody is..."

Finally, about midnight that evening, the boat pulled back into the docks. And it was a good thing that it did, because not more than ten minutes after it did, the storm front that had been on its way finally arrived. What had been a clear night up to then was now filled with snow flakes falling rapidly.

"Ummm...Zack, not that I didn't have fun tonight, but I think we need to get moving now!"

He just looked up at the sky. "Good call..." He paused and smiled. "But you know...I've heard bad snow storms like this can be kind of romantic."

She just looked at him again. "Where on earth did you hear such a silly idea like that from?"

He paused. "Ummm...I can't say..."

"Why not?"

"Because I made a promise that I wouldn't..."

Maya grinned and leaned in and kissed him again. "Will you tell me now?"

Zack sighed. "Maya..."

She kissed him again. "Pretty please?"

Zack just groaned. "Fine, but you can't ever tell anyone I told you this! You see, last spring break, Cody and Bailey got trapped in a snow storm in Virginia..."

_New Haven_

After the movie and dinner out, Bailey, Cody, Tapeworm and Gertie made their way back to their dorm around midnight. And as they walked back, they were glad it wasn't snowing like it had earlier. It was still cold and the wind still bitter, but they didn't mind that as much. Once they got back to Berkeley North, the two couples went their separate ways with Tapeworm and Gertie heading up to the girls' room and Cody and Bailey heading to the guys' room. And when they got there, Bailey sighed.

"You know, I should have grabbed something to sleep in first. I don't want to interrupt them now." She shook her head. "You would think I would start keeping something down here with as much as I stay here. Sweetie, would you mind if I borrowed something of yours?"

Cody smiled. "You most certainly can...or you can take what's behind door number two..."

Bailey just looked at him. "Door number two?"

He kept grinning as he went over to pull a wrapped present out from underneath of his bed. "I might have one more surprise for you this Valentine's Day..."

She smiled. "Cody! When did you have time for this? We've been practically snowed in for almost a month now."

"The same way I bought flowers - online." He paused. "Now, I'm kind of nervous about whether or not you'll like this or not though..."

"Why? I'm sure I'll love it."

"Well, you remember that talk we had on the beach in Miami?"

Bailey just looked at him before nodding. "I do. So, its...?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. And if you don't like it, I completely understand..."

She stood there a minute before she took the gift out of his hand. "Lets see what it is then..." She tore off the paper and opened the box. And when she saw what was inside, her eyes went wide.

"Cody!"

He looked at her sheepishly. "Yeah?"

She pulled out a red silk night gown and smiled at him. "This is gorgeous! I love it!"

"Yeah? You really like it?"

Bailey held it up against her. "I do. This looks like something I would have mentioned to you that I liked and..." She caught herself and paused. "...like something I would have chosen for myself..."

He smiled. "Really? I did good?"

She leaned in and kissed him. "You did great."

Cody sighed in relief. "Good. I saw it and immediately thought it would be perfect for you. I thought something gorgeous for someone gorgeous..."

Bailey paused and smiled again. "See anything else you liked while you were on-line?"

He swallowed. "Maybe a few things..."

"Yeah? While I go slip into this, boot up your laptop and show me..."

"I...I don't know, Bails...What if you don't like them? Somethings weren't as...ummm...I not sure how to describe them..."

She grinned at him. "If you liked them, I'm sure I will too..."

"Again, I don't know...I..."

Bailey leaned in and kissed him again. "Please?"

Cody just sighed. "I never have been able to say no to you when you do that..."

She smiled. "I know..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Just a quick posting tidbit. I'll be posting every other now so that Season 3 will conclude the Thursday after next. That way, I can begin Season 4 the following weekend.**__  
><em>_


	20. Mail Call

_Episode 20_

_"Mail Call"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

While the big storm cell that reeked havoc on Valentine's Day did finally move out of New Haven and headed east, that didn't mean there weren't several other ones ready and waiting to take its place. So, there was no rest for the weary as everyone on Yale's campus had to keep dealing with even more and more snow and bitter weather. Naturally, Tapeworm couldn't let a day go by in which he didn't give Cody and Bailey a hard time for their schedule again. But by the third week of February, everyone was beginning to accept the harsh winter wasn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Now, there were several students seriously contemplating making a trip to certain town in rural Pennsylvania to have a word with a certain groundhog about seeing his shadow and making them endure six more weeks of it, but they were a minority. Everyone else sucked it up and continued on with their classes and all the exams and homework that came along with them. Almost a week after Valentine's Day, Cody and Bailey were walking back from their Biology of Reproduction class on late Thursday morning when she turned to him.

"Cody, I know this has been a bad winter so far, but don't you think its a little pretentious that the meteorologists have started calling this the storm of the century?"

He turned to look at her. "What do you mean, Sweetie?"

"Well, its only 2014. The century is not even fifteen percent of the way done. I know everyone is getting tired of the constant snow and are beginning to think its never going to end, but there is no way that they can call this the worst one of the twenty first century yet. I mean, there's still over eighty years for another one to come through and dwarf this one. What will they call that one then? Storm of the Millennium? And that would be even more ludicrous because were not even 1.5% of the way through it..."

Cody could only laugh. "Well, while you do have a great point, calling it the 'Storm of the Century' is a good way for local stations to get ratings. Besides, like I told Tapeworm, compared to Antarctica, this is nothing. I seriously thought I might die there. And if the elements hadn't gotten me, I think Woody would have. Just be glad you didn't have to experience that. He was starting to get really hungry with our lack of food and supplies, and I had visions of the Donner Party running through my head..."

Bailey laughed too. "I can only imagine how awkward that was..."

"You're telling me. And to make matters worse, he kept carrying around and talking to his big jar of mayonnaise..."

She smiled. "Still, I wish I could have been there with you...I would have kept you warm and fended off Woody." She paused before teasing him. "Plus, that way, you couldn't keep holding it over my head that you've stepped foot on all seven continents while I've only been on six..."

"Trust me, Bails...you didn't miss much. All things considered, I wouldn't have minded missing that trip myself..."

"Still...how many people do we know that can say they've been to all seven? Besides you, Zack and Woody?"

"Well, you did get to see Thailand when I didn't. I think it would have been fascinating to see how a real rice farm and how it actually worked. Plus, what you've told me about that elephant? Come on..."

She just gave him a look. "Yeah, that's the same..."

He just shook his head and smiled. "Okay, how about this? I don't know how we'll pull it off, but I promise you a trip to Antarctica at some point in the future. If you really want to say you've been on all seven continents, I'll find a way to make that happen for you." He smiled. "You know I'd do anything to make you happy."

Bailey leaned in and kissed him. "Thank you, Sweetie. You really are the best."

Cody laughed. "Just be careful doing that out here. Do you want to get your lips frozen to mine?"

She just grinned. "Oh, I don't know...I don't think that would be so bad..."

"Don't tempt me, Sweetie. If that happened, we'd be completely stuck to each other for a long while. Not that I would mind that at all, but we really should get to work on our Human Genome project we just got assigned on Monday. We can grab some lunch first though." He grinned and winked at her. "But later on tonight, you'll think someone poured glue on us!"

She laughed. "Sounds like a plan to me, Cody Bear. But once we get inside, I need to stop by my mailbox first. Grammy heard about these storms and said she was going to knit us some socks she guaranteed would keep our feet warm."

Cody laughed. "Are you serious?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah. And I know what you're thinking, but I don't even want to think about how she's going to pull that off." She paused. "Of course, she did say it wouldn't keep us as warm as something else, but I didn't want to go there with her. Its weird enough that my grandmother seems to know so much about us without us confirming anything for her..."

"Yeah, I agree. I'm just glad the only ones who do know for sure are just us and Zack, and we've gotten his silence about it..."

So, once they got back to Berkeley College, they headed down to the mailboxes in the basement and checked to see if their 'super socks' had arrived. Well, they weren't there, but something else was. Bailey pulled out an envelope and just stared at it once she saw who it was from.

"Ummm...Cody?"

"Yeah, Bails?"

She swallowed. "I have an envelope here from the Medical College Admission Test...I think my scores are here!"

Cody just looked at her as it slowly sunk into him what she had just said. Immediately, he turned to his mailbox, opened it and looked inside to see if anything had come for him. And like Bailey had, he too had an envelope from the MCAT that he assumed contained his test scores. He held his envelope in his hands and stared it too.

"Ummm, Bails, I think we can scratch those plans I was talking about earlier. Seems we have something else that has come up..." He paused. "... and I'm thinking we should wait to open these in a private place so no one else can see us go crazy in either joy or despair..."

Bailey could only nod. "Agreed." She paused to think. "Gertie will be in class for another couple of hours. Lets go up to my room."

So, that's what they did. Both of them just slowly walked up the stairs, staring at the envelopes in each of their hands the whole way. And once they got up to Bailey's room, they headed inside and on into Bailey's bedroom. After closing and locking the door behind them, they looked up at each other.

"Now that we're here, I'm not sure I want to open this..."

Bailey nodded. "I know the feeling, but either way, what's inside these are our scores. We can't change or cancel them now..."

Cody just sighed. "You're right." He paused to look at his envelope again. "Will you open mine for me?"

She was still staring at hers too. "If you'll open mine for me..."

Cody nodded, and they exchanged envelopes. "So...ummm...who should open first?"

Bailey sighed. "I will..." She paused. "But before we do, Cody, no matter what these envelopes say, promise me that the results won't change anything for us."

"I promise, Bails. We're a team. Whatever they say, we're in this together." He leaned in and kissed her. "A kiss for good luck for us both..."

Bailey took a deep breath and opened the envelope containing Cody's scores. Slowly, she pulled out the slip of paper inside and began scanning it to see what it said. Of course, as every second ticked by that she didn't say anything, Cody's anxiety continued to grow. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he couldn't take it any longer.

"Well? How did I do?"

She paused and looked up at him. "Well..." Slowly, a big smiled spread across her face. "You did very well, Honey! A 14 in Biological Sciences, a 14 in Physical Sciences and a 15 in Verbal Reasoning. And you must have done really well on the written part as you got an 'S'. So, your score is a 43S! That's an amazing score, Sweetie!"

**(AN: For those that don't know, on the MCAT, the highest score you can get on each section is a 15. And on the written part, you are given a letter grade with 'T' being the highest score you can get. So, a perfect score on the MCAT would be a 45T, and those are extremely, extremely rare. Like Halley's Comet in that they only come around every 76 years rare. And the three tested areas are weighed more heavily than the written part is. Figured that might be useful here...)**

Upon hearing that, Cody pretty much collapsed back onto Bailey's bed. Closing his eyes, he just took a deep breath. "Oh, thank goodness..."

Bailey just laughed. "A big load off of your mind, huh?"

"You can say that again!" He paused before he jumped back up. "But we're only half way done here! Of course, I'm sure you knocked it out of the park too, Bails..."

Like Bailey had, he slowly opened the envelope containing her scores and pulled out the slip of paper. And once he unfolded it, he began reading it to himself.

Now, it was Bailey's turn to be antsy. "Well? How did I do?"

Cody paused before answering. "Well, you got a 14 in Biological Sciences, a 15 in Physical Sciences...guess you really are better in chemistry than me." He smiled. "...and you really nailed the written part as you got the highest score possible with a 'T'!"

She nodded and exhaled too. "Oh thank you...that's wonderful news!" She closed her eyes and was about to fall back onto her bed too when she remembered something. "What a minute. You didn't mention how I did on the Verbal Reasoning part. How did I do there?"

He paused and smiled again. "You did really well there too, Boo Boo. You got a 13 on it for a total score of 42T...You did amazing well, Sweetie!" He kept smiling hoping that the fact that his score on the tested areas having been slightly higher wouldn't be that big of a deal. Unfortunately, he could see the crestfallen loook on Bailey's face and quickly realized that it wasn't going to be that easy.

Bailey just sat back on her bed and began shaking her head. "You...you beat me."

_Boston_

Meanwhile, about that same time in Boston, at the offices of London Inns, Zack was finishing up his work for the week. And like those in New Haven, the weather was causing everybody in Boston to get a little melancholy as well. Even though spring break was only about three weeks away now, it felt like it would never get there. And it didn't help matters than London had Zack constantly looking at the brochures and website of the resort they were heading to. Seeing the pictures of the beach, the Caribbean and the warm weather seemed like cruel and unusual punishment, and he almost felt like crying. To Zack, he didn't think his day could get any worse. Well, that was until his intercom buzzed again.

_"Zack?"_

He paused wondering what it was now. "Yeah, Moseby?"

_"I need you to come to my office ASAP!"_

"On my way..." After he turned off his intercom, Zack just sighed. "Great, what else can go wrong today?"

Slowly, Zack got up out of his chair and began the long walk down the hallway towards Moseby's office. As he walked, he did have to admit that getting called to Moseby's office was usually a lot better now than when he used to get called to his office back at the Tipton or on the boat. There would be no detention waiting for him on the other side. Of course, now, Moseby could fire him instead, but Zack couldn't think of anything he had done to warrant that. In fact, he had no clue whatsoever what Moseby could need to see him about that was as urgent as he sounded on the intercom.

Finally, Zack knocked on Moseby's door and almost as soon as he did, he heard a 'Come in!'. Opening the door, he walked into Moseby's office and took his customary seat across from his desk.

"Alright, I'm here. What's the big emergency?"

Moseby smiled and held up an envelope. "This arrived for you today..."

Zack squinted to try to read the return address. "What is it?"

"Its your test scores from the GMAT..."

Zack groaned and felt like kicking himself as he remembered that he had written down for the scores to be sent to the office. So, he just closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Well, Moseby, why don't you go ahead and open them? It will save me the time from having to tell you how bad I did..."

Moseby frowned. "I thought you said you thought you did pretty well on it?"

Zack just looked at him. "Since when does that mean I actually did? For all I know, I could have accidentally mis-numbered on a question and screwed everything up..."

"Well, lets just see how you did then."

Moseby grabbed his letter opener and sliced through the envelope. He pulled out the slip of paper and began looking at it. And when he saw what Zack's score was, Moseby just began to shake his head.

Zack sighed. "That bad, huh?"

Moseby just blinked double checking he was actually reading it right. "Actually...no. You got a score of 734." **(AN: Out of a possible 800)**

Zack just looked at him in surprise. "A 734? Are you kidding me, Moseby? Because if you are, that's not funny!"

Moseby just smiled and laughed. "I'm completely serious! Zack, it says here that your score places you in the 96th percentile. Only four percent of the people who took the test did better than you did!"

Zack just shook his head as he was still having trouble believe he had done so well considering his score on his practice test had been over a hundred points less than that. "How in the world this this happen? I mean...I know Maria gave me some really useful tips, but still.." He shook his head again and began laughing. "I guess I did even better than I thought I did..."

"I would say so! Zack, you did an amazing job! I had already looked it, and BU's average score to get into their MBA program is the mid 660's. You topped that by almost seventy points!"

"Wow...Who would have thunk I was capable of pulling off a score like that?"

Moseby grinned. "I would have. Zack, I always knew you were brimming with potential. I knew that you were capable of so much if you just let it out, and you just proved me right! I'm so proud of you!"

Zack smiled back. "Thanks, Moseby. I..." He paused and the smile faded away. "Uh oh..."

"Uh oh? Why are you saying uh oh? There is no need for an uh oh here!"

"Well, no offense, Moseby, but the last time you were this proud of me, the rest of Seven Seas High hated me. I have no desire to be a piranha again..."

Moseby rolled his eyes. "I think you mean pariah, but I wouldn't worry about that happening again. That was then, and this is now." He paused. "Still, while I know you will want to celebrate this, there will be no exploding stink bombs in this office! If you want to do that at the Tipton, that's Esteban's problem now..."

Zack laughed. "Awww...You won't even let me do one for old time's sake?"

"No, and you don't have time to do it anyways." Moseby turned to check his calendar. "You have less than a month to get your application in by mid march to be considered for the early admissions period. Tomorrow, I want you to come in and begin working on your resume and your applications and your essays and..."

Zack interrupted him. "Moseby, I won't be in tomorrow. Remember, Friday is my early day of classes..."

"That's right..." Moseby sighed. "Okay, first thing Monday morning then. Don't worry about your letters of recommendation. I'll write you one, London said she write one, and she said she could get her father to sign off on one too. But there are a couple of things I need you to do today or tomorrow and have ready when you get here Monday morning..."

"What's that?"

"One, stop by the office of a professor who you've gotten to know well, did well in their class and who actually likes you. See if they'll write you a letter too. Second, I want you to stop by the registrar's offices at both BU and Beacon Hill and get official copies of your transcripts. I don't want you to go home tomorrow afternoon until you have them in hand or have them ordered."

Zack saluted him. "Yes, sir! Consider it done!"

Moseby ignored that and paused. "And this weekend...go out and let off some steam..." He smiled. "You've earned it. All those hours of studying you put in really paid off for you, Zack. I hope this showed you that whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish."

He grinned. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Don't get too cocky on me just yet, this battle is only half done. We still have a long ways to go..._"_

_New Haven_

Bailey was still shaking her head slowly, but now she was just staring off into space. This was exactly what Cody had been afraid of happening when he saw what her score was. While they had both grown up and matured, there was still some level of competition between them as evidenced by both of their desires to keep their 4.0s. So far, they hadn't had any more flareups in a long time, and Cody was hoping this incident wouldn't cause any trouble either. Racking his brain to figure out how to diffuse the situation as best he could, he thought of what would help him if the roles had been reversed. So, slowly, he sat down on her bed next to her, and as carefully as he could, he slowly began to rub her shoulders.

"Bails? Are you alright?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I guess. I mean...I knew the odds of us getting the exact same score were astronomical, but I guess I had hoped that..." She shook her head again. "I don't know..."

Cody smiled and leaned in and whispered into her ear. "You're telling me. Sweetie, you must have absolutely destroyed me on the written part. I always thought I was a good writer, but I guess I just have to accept that I'll always come up second best to you. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised by that by now since you did have the best admissions essay to get into Seven Seas High..."

Despite how she was feeling right then, that did bring a small smile to her face. "Yeah, I guess I did, didn't I?" She paused and sighed. "But Cody, you destroyed me on the Verbal Reasoning section..."

"And you beat me on the physical sciences section. The way I see things, you beat me in two sections, I got you in one and we tied in the other..."

"That's true..."

He smiled again and he kissed her neck. "The way I figure it, we did essentially tie. While on the non-written parts I got you by a point, you got me by a point on the written part. I would call that pretty even, wouldn't you?"

Bailey turned to look at him and just saw him smiling at her. Despite herself, she couldn't help but smile back at him. "If you keep using logic like that, I might have to end up agreeing with you..."

"And, Sweetie? There's the other thing we tied in that's way, way more important..."

She wasn't quite sure what he was talking about now. "What's that, Cody?"

Cody smiled at her again. "We were both in the 99th percentile! Sweetheart, we both destroyed that test! Our scores are way far above the averages for the medical schools were looking to get into. And just think, last year, the highest score anyone achieved on it was a 44R. And that was like one guy who had no life whatsoever outside of studying for the test. We were both just slightly off of that, and look how much else we have going on in our lives. Face it, Boo Boo...I can almost guarantee that we're just not in the 99th percentile but also the 99.9th percentile. We destroyed that test like Woody use to destroy a Mexican buffet!"

Bailey couldn't help but laugh when she heard him say that. "Nice comparison, Sweetie." She paused to think about what he said and ended up smiling again. "You know, you're right! We did knock it out of the park!"

"You're darn right we did!"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a hug. "Sorry for getting a little...I don't know... over-competitive and melancholy on you there for a few minutes."

Cody pulled back and smiled at her. "Bails, I love that your competitive. You make me want to do my best just so I can keep up with you. If it hadn't been for you pushing me to study so hard for it, there is no way I would have even come close to doing that well."

Bailey smiled. "Same here. I just have to keep remembering its not a one on one competition. Its like when we play darts or ping pong. We're a team, and the better we both do, the better our team does."

"Exactly..." He laughed. "Except in darts and ping pong, you're doing all the heavy lifting and carrying me. Here, we were virtually equal..."

"I don't care..." She leaned in and gave him a long, passionate kiss. "Thank you, Sweetie. Thank you for always knowing just the right thing to say or do to make me feel better."

"Well, you do the same for me. And I'd do anything to see your beautiful smile and that twinkle in your eyes."

"I know you would. You've done it for me for years now..." She grinned. "I guess the first time was the mulch festival way back when. And then when you rushed to Kettlecorn to make sure I was alright when I freaked out on the phone. Cody, you're always there to take care of me even when I don't know or won't admit that I need it..."

"Hey, if it wasn't for you, I might not even be here at Yale right now. So, you were there to take care of me when I need it." He smiled. "Besides, I love you."

She leaned in and kissed him again. "And I love you too." She grinned again. "And later, I'll show you just how much I do, so bring on all the glue you can find. But right now, we've got a lot of work to do! This was the last thing we were waiting on for AMCAS. We can now start sending all of our applications out and see what kind of nibbles we get!"

"Well, we'll just have to see what schools are smart enough to want both of us."

"You're right. Like I said, we're a team. We're a packaged deal." She paused and jumped up. "Oh my gosh, we need to finalize our list of schools we want our stuff sent to!"

Cody laughed. "Slow down, Sweetheart. Why don't we go to lunch to celebrate our good news, and we'll discuss our options there."

Bailey leaned in and kissed him again. "Good idea, Honey." She was feeling so much like her usual self that she teased him. "Must be why you beat me in Verbal Reasoning. You have such a way with words..."

He laughed. "Maybe, but I know I'm having you proofread every paper I write from now on!"

And as they ate lunch, they mutually decided on a list of ten primary schools along with five secondary or safety schools that they would ask their applications, transcripts, scores and letters be sent to. And their first tier of ten looked like a list of the top ten medical schools in the country - Yale, Harvard, Penn, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Columbia, Michigan, Washington University in St. Louis, Duke, and Cornell. Their back ups were schools located close to either Boston or Kettlecorn - Kansas, Boston University, Tufts, UMASS and Brown.

When they got back to their rooms, they selected all of those schools before going over their applications one more time to make sure they had everything just the way they wanted them. And once everything was to their likings, they turned to each other and grinned.

"You ready to send these out into cyberspace, Bails?"

Bailey nodded. "Lets do it."

At the same time, they both clicked the 'SEND' button, and with that, it became a waiting game.

_Boston_

That same afternoon, Maya was sitting and waiting at the table that she and Zack normally sat at for lunch, but she noticed he was running later than usual. As the minutes kept ticking by and he was now over fifteen minutes late, she began to get worried that something might have happened to him. Maya had just pulled out her cell phone and was about to try to call him when he ran up to the table, kissed her cheek and sat down next to her.

"You're late...again."

Zack was trying to catch his breath though. "I...have...a...very...good...reason."

She smiled. "Alright, well, catch your breath and tell me."

He finally did. "Well, I thought I was going to be on time because Moseby let me leave a little early today to run a few errands. On my way here, I had to make two stops at both of the registrar's office at both Beacon Hill and BU..."

That surprised Maya. "The registrar's office? What for?"

"Moseby said I needed official copies of my transcripts from both schools." Zack paused and smiled. "My GMAT test results arrived in the mail at the office today..."

Maya's eyes went wide. "And? How did you do?"

"A 734..."

"Is that good?"

"Well, according to the slip of paper, that puts me in the 96th percentile..."

Her eyes went even wider and she immediately pulled him into a crushing hug. "That's wonderful news, Zack!"

He laughed. "Easy, Babe...I'm going to need those ribs."

She laughed too. "Sorry, but that's fantastic Zack! All your hard work payed off!"

"Yeah, who knew I could actually pull something like this off?"

Maya shook her head and smiled. "I did!"

"Well, however I pulled it off, I did. And now Moseby wants me to get my transcripts so I can get my application in the mail as soon as possible."

Maya paused. "You mean applications as in more than one, right?"

He frowned. "No, just the one to BU."

She shook her head. "Zack, I would love nothing more than for you to get into BU's graduate school, and I will do anything I can to help you with that. But you shouldn't suicide this. That's the good thing about Boston. There are several other schools in the area for you to apply to just to make sure and play it safe. For example, there is Northeastern, Suffolk, Boston College, UMASS Boston, and even Bentley and Brandeis over in Waltham. And if you did that well on the test, don't sell yourself short. Take a shot with the two local big boys - Harvard and MIT."

He laughed. "Have you forgotten? Cody wasn't the only one banned from Harvard for life. I think I can safely rule that one out..."

"Well, then give MIT a shot. The worse they can do is say 'no'."

"Why should I bother though? I know BU is where I want to go..."

Maya smiled. "I know. But if other schools want you, that will make you look even better to the school here. You can't tell me that being accepted to a place like MIT wouldn't make you look better in everyone's eyes."

"Maybe, but I want to stay at BU with you. I like seeing you everyday..."

She smiled even wider. "Zack...Babe...there is no way you are getting rid of me. Think of it this way, even if you do end up going somewhere else, while we may not have lunch together everyday, we can still see each other every night. And if you did somehow get into MIT, I would kick your butt myself if you didn't go for it. And I'm pretty sure there would be a line of people behind me too like Moseby, London, your Mom, Mimi and Cody. Besides, its not like its that far away. Its just right across the river up in Cambridge. Its not like we'd be all that far apart..."

Zack paused to think. "Well, I guess I can give some of those other schools a shot." He laughed. "It just seems weird that I'm even in a position to half way seriously consider applying to some place like MIT considering my less that spectacular academic history."

"All I can ask of you, Zack, is to just give it a shot and spread out your options. And if you want, I can ask my Dad if he can help you out too. I know he'd write you a great letter of recommendation, plus he has all kinds of contacts I'm sure he could call in a favor to. With your scores and grades here being so high, a lot of schools will want you..."

He just shook his head and laughed again. "Me...potentially having colleges fighting over me. Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard?"

"Well, don't get ahead of yourself just yet. While I think any of those schools would be lucky to have you, one step at a time, Babe."

Zack nodded. "You're right. Moseby said sort of the same thing to me. No need to get ahead of myself just yet. I saw how that almost bit Cody in the butt."

Maya smiled at him. "But like Cody did, you have a girlfriend who loves you and is in this with you together till the end."

He smiled back at her. "You're right. Lets forget about all of this for a little while. I want to focus on the time I have with you before we have to go on to our separate classes this afternoon."

"Sounds good to me." She smiled before leaning in and kissing him. "I just want to tell you again how proud of you I am. And I'll still love you even if you become a MIT nerd...""

_To be Continued..._


	21. Movin' On Up

_Episode 21_

_"Movin' on Up"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Boston_

When Zack returned to work the following Monday, Moseby was happy that Zack had secured copies of both of his transcripts already. Even more so, Moseby and London completely agreed with Maya's suggestion that Zack apply to more than one business school so he could increase his chances of getting admitted somewhere. They encouraged him to take his high test scores out for a spin and see what they could do. And as proud as everyone was of Zack for how well he had done on his test, London felt an extra dose of pride. After all, she had been the one to give Zack the kick in the butt that jump started his rise. While she had had high hopes that he would do a good job, even she couldn't have foreseen just how well he would end up doing. In the span of two years, she saw her friend go from misery to now being a success in both his professional and personal lives. And while London was so happy for him, it didn't hurt that she knew the better he did, the better it made her company look. But she did remember something else Maya and Moseby had said - one step at a time. So, that whole next week at work, neither London nor Moseby minded that Zack was spending a couple of hours of each day filling out applications to various graduate business schools in the area instead of doing real work. If he was successful getting his MBA, then technically, it would help the company, and they had no problem signing off on those hours for his class.

And by Friday of that week, Zack had successfully completed close to ten applications, had written numerous essays and updated his resume as accurately as possible while still using colorful language to fluff it up. Of course, Moseby had reserved the right to review them and make suggestions for changes to be made before any of them would actually be put in the maill by the first of March.

On that same Friday, London made another stop by Moseby's office to check on the application progress.

"I know he did well, but do you really think Zack has a real shot of getting into some place like MIT? Even I know that its one of the best..."

Moseby shrugged. "I don't know. It would depend on what they focus on the most. If its on test scores, he's in good shape. If its on scores and college work, he has a shot. If its based on his cumulative academic career, well..." He paused and smiled. "You never can tell what will happen with these things. I mean, just look at what happened with Cody. One small screw up somewhere can cause havoc. But after how well I heard he and Bailey did on the MCAT, I don't think those two will have any problems getting in wherever they want to go. Back to Zack though, I always knew he had potential, but this is more than I ever could have imagined. While MIT might be a long shot, I don't think he'll have any problems whatsoever getting into BU or BC. Especially, BU. I think they'll want to hang on to their own..."

London just shook her head and laughed. "Just think...I had to pull some strings to get him in to BU in the first place. Now, they might have to fight off other schools just to hang on to him..."

"Well, they do have one big thing going for them in that Maya is there too. Zack's already told me his preference is to stay there so he could stay with her. But, she's telling him to shoot for the moon too." He paused and laughed himself. "Heck, I've even thought about telling him to give Harvard a shot too, but then I remembered that incident with the president's daughter..."

"Unfortunately, I don't remember too much of that. That stupid hypnotist had me acted like Bailey for a while. Talk about a nightmare!" London paused and sighed. "Don't tell her I said anything though, but I wish she and Cody could get into medical school at Harvard. I miss having those two around." She paused, shook her head and laughed. "I know its impossible because of that stupid president, but could you imagine how crazy it would be if Zack ended up at Harvard Business School and Cody and Bailey somehow ended up at Harvard Medical School? I mean, I'd be happy for them, but it would be so wild. Those two little twins that I remember moving into the hotel would be at the best business and medical schools in the country..." London smiled. "Its just shows you what all can happen in ten years..."

Moseby chuckled. "Imagine how weird it would be for me. The two hooligans who once caused me so much trouble about to tackle the worlds of big business and medicine. And I know they're both going to do big things some day. And what's even crazier, one of them is about a year away from getting married, and its kind of unsettling that I'm not surprised at all."

London grinned. "I know. That ship brought together several couples. Them, Maya and Zack, Woody and Addison and even you and Tut. But I've got a big surprise for Cody and Bailey when they get back to Boston in a couple of weeks."

Moseby shook his head. "I don't want to know anything about that. I still remember you telling me about the surprise you and your father had for them regarding their letters of recommendation. I'm surprised you didn't give them heart attacks!"

She laughed. "Awww...Come on, Moseby."

He sighed. "No thank you. Now lets get back on topic here. There is something else we do need to discuss regarding Zack. While talking about what he is going to do after he graduates is nice, we have to make sure he is going to graduate first."

London frowned. "I thought you said his grades were actually pretty good."

"Oh, they are. But you remember me telling you that he needed some international experience to satisfy a class?"

She paused to think. "Oh yeah, I do remember that now."

"Add that to the fact that he's now a second semester junior. Zack only has a year left to satisfy that requirement, and I'm completely out of ideas for what he could do for it..."

London paused to think. Suddenly, she got an idea and began grinning. "You know what? Maybe I have an idea..."

"I'm all ears if you do..."

She leaned in close and whispered her idea to him. "So, what do you think?"

Moseby could only nod. "Well, that certainly could work...if BU will go along with it."

London smiled again. "Well, I'll just leave it to you to make a phone and make sure they do, Moseby."

He sighed. "Thanks, London. I appreciate that..."

She stood up and grabbed her purse. "Okay, I'm off. I'm supposed to be meeting Todd here in a little while. We're going shopping!"

Moseby smiled at her. "Speaking of which, you two seem to be going strong."

She smiled again. "We are. Things are going pretty well for us. I'm really happy, Moseby."

"I'm glad to hear that. And speaking of people I've seen come a long way in ten years, I'd rank you right up there with the twins on that list."

"You really think so?"

He grinned. "I know so. London, these past few years, you've really blossomed in to the fine young I always knew you could be. You should be incredibly proud of yourself because I know everyone else is too. No one more than me though."

"Thank you, Moseby. That means a lot to me coming from you."

"Good..." He chuckled. "Now get on out of here and go meet Todd. Maybe it will soon be my turn to return the favor and plan a wedding for you..."

London just looked at him. "Moseby, you know I love you to death, but, no..." She laughed. "I have no desire to have the theme of any wedding of mine be knees socks and pocket hankies."

_New Haven_

It was now Friday, February 28th, and everyone only had one week of classes left before they would finally be on spring break. And at Yale, that meant Cody and Bailey were done with their classes for the day by eleven o'clock that morning. While the countdown was now down to only one week before their break, they still had a lot they wanted to get done before then as their second week of spring break would be spent in Boston working on schoolwork. So, late that morning, they had a plan of switching out their books, going to grab lunch and then hole themselves away in their secret study room in the library. As they were cutting through the main floor of Berkeley North heading to the stairwell, they were deep in discussion about what all they needed to get done. And as they crossed the lobby, they heard their names being yelled. Stopping and looking around, they began searching for who had called their names when they saw the Berkeley College Master trying to flag them down.

"Oh, hey Master Chun. Did you need to talk to us about something?"

He nodded. "As a matter of fact, I do. Something has come up fairly recently that I need to discuss with the two of you. Actually, I need to speak with both of your roommates about it as well, but I just happened to see you two passing by. Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

Cody shrugged. "Yeah. We can squeeze you in. We're done for the day, but its still a little early for lunch."

Master Chun smiled. "Good. Please follow me over to my office. For certain reasons that you'll soon understand, I'd rather not do this out here in public where someone might overhear us..."

Bailey and Cody both shrugged and followed him to his office, but for the life of them, they had no idea why he would need to talk to them as well as Gertie and Tapeworm without anyone else finding out about it. And once they all got to his office and Master Chun closed the door and locked it behind them, their curiosity grew even more. When he took his seat in his chair behind his desk, Cody and Bailey sat down across from his desk.

"So, Master Chun...what's up?"

He grinned. "Well, have either of you two ever heard of Bernard Geddleman?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, he's the guy who developed that new income tax software that's become extremely popular in the past couple of years. Its pretty much put the other programs out of business because its so user friendly."

"Yeah, it so easy to use, we bought a copy of it for our friend Kirby last Christmas. We think he'll be able do to his own taxes for the first time ever this year..."

Master Chun nodded. "Exactly. Well, what you might not know is that he's just recently sold his program and his company to one of his competitors for a little over four billion dollars..."

Both of their eyes went wide in surprise. "Wow...good for him!"

Master Chun laughed. "I know, right? Now, the reason this is relevant to you guys is that Bernie is an alumni of Yale and, specifically, of Berkeley College. In fact, this is where he met his wife, so he has a warm spot in his heart for this place. And now, he wants to give back to it..."

"Is he giving the college a gift or something?"

Chun grinned again. "Oh, you could definitely say that! By getting that much money, he knows he's going to have to pay taxes on it. So, to avoid giving as much of his new money to Uncle Sam as possible, he's giving us a rather large check that he can write off as a charitable contribution. And by large, I'm talking well over eight figures..."

Both Cody and Bailey were happy to hear that. "Well, good for the college then too!"

"Tell me about it. He wants us to add all new free laundry facilities, a brand new gym, brand new equipment like ping pong tables, foosball tables and pool tables for down in the game room, an brand new arcade down there too, and he even want us to add our very own movie theater down in the basement. Things will look a lot differently around Berkeley come next year..."

Bailey paused. "That all sounds great, but what does it have to do with us specifically?"

Master Chun smiled again. "I was just about to get to that part. It seems ol' Bernie has put another stipulation in with his donation. He wants Berkeley to be the best and most admired college on campus. He wants the other ones to be insanely jealous of it."

This time Cody spoke up. "We would like that too, but again what does that have to do with us? And why all the secrecy?"

He chuckled again. "Patience, I'm getting there. His idea is that the seniors here in Berkeley have the nicest rooms on campus and the country - even better than the brand new ones over in the swing dorm. So, as soon as school finishes in May, work crews will come in to completely begin to renovate the third, fourth and fifth floors here in Berkeley North."

"Oh..." Bailey stopped to think and then slumped her shoulders when she realized what that meant. "I get it now. You're saying our rooms won't be there for us next year."

"No, not how they are now. Instead, there will be twenty four super double suites on the third and fourth floors as well as ten super quad suites on the fifth floor. There would have been twelve, but there wasn't enough room for them within our present structure. So, there will be two additional doubles on the fifth floor that will be even bigger than the ones on the floors below it. An architect has already been paid to draw up plans. Every one of the new suites will have the largest bedrooms on campus as well as having even larger common rooms with their own little kitchenettes with built in microwaves and refrigerators." He smiled again. "And the biggest perk that no other college on campus can offer, each suite will have its own private bathroom. We really will be the envy of every other college on campus. We fully expect to be inundated with people requesting to be assigned to Berkeley!"

Hearing all of that, Cody and Bailey were really blown away. "That sounds amaxing!"

Master Chun laughed. "I know, right? No longer will we face losing our seniors to Boyd Hall, or the Swing Dorm as most of the students call it."

"I imagine so. Modern conveniences while still being able to stay here with its prime location. I bet those will all go fast in the room lottery."

"Ordinarily, I'd agree with you. But with the changes, we did have some unforeseen complications. Namely, those students who already live in those places like the four of you. Ordinarily, they would be allowed to use squatter rights to keep their rooms, but their rooms will no longer be there."

Cody sighed. "Which means we have to go back and fight for new rooms in the lottery again."

"So you see the big problem we have. You guys have done nothing to even remotely warrant losing your rooms. Normally, we wouldn't have this problem as those rooms would normally be held by seniors, so we wouldn't have to worry about squatters. But somehow, you two and your roommates lucked out after your freshmen years, and your two current rooms were still open."

Bailey spoke up. "So, what happens to us now?"

Master Chun smiled. "Well, fortunately, you four are the only ones that are adversely effected. Every other room on those floors is currently occupied by seniors. So, we're going to do the fair thing here. The four of you will move to the front of the line and get the first choice of the new rooms."

Bailey sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness!" She paused and smiled. "I mean...that sounds good to us. I'm sure Gertie and Tapeworm will feel the same way too..."

The master laughed. "I would imagine so...if that was all there was to it..."

Cody frowned. "There's even more?"

"Well, as these suites will all have their own private bathrooms, we don't have to worry about having guys and girls floors anymore. So, we're going to be offering the same option that they would over in Boyd Hall..."

"You mean...?"

Master Chun nodded. "Exactly. The suites will all be gender neutral. Meaning, two people of the opposite sex can choose to live with each other if they so choose. Normally, we don't encourage people who are in a relationship with each other to do so..." He paused and smiled. "But its no secret around here how much time you two do spend with each other as it is, and I already know how well you're both doing. So, in your case, I wouldn't have a problem with you two choosing to live together if you wanted."

Bailey just grinned and turned to Cody. "That's sounds amazing! I'd be all for that!" She paused when she realized something. "What about Gertie and Tapeworm though?"

Master Chun spoke up again. "Actually, both their grades are just fine too, and we wouldn't have a problem if they chose to live with each other too. But whether they would want to do that is up to them..."

Cody nodded. "You're right. We'll talk to them later. We'll do whatever they are most comfortable with..."

"Good, well, just let me know what you all decide to do before we hold the housing lottery the first week of April."

_Boston_

That same Friday afternoon, Zack and Maya were having lunch together after their morning classes and before she had to head off to work. As for Zack, he was done for the day, so he was free to do whatever he wanted. He had finished all off his applications bending Moseby's approval as well as all of his homework from that week. So, he was thinking of heading home and playing some video games on-line with Woody. Of course, after his week, he thought a nap first sounded good. Maya, however, didn't seem to share his enthusiasm about how he was going to spend his afternoon.

"So, are you really going back to your place to take a nap and then play video games?"

He smiled. "I'm thinking about it - I've got nothing else I have to do."

She just looked at him. "Oh, I'll give you something to do if that's what you need!"

"Like what?"

"Well, I have a list of things I needed to pick up before next Friday like sunscreen and aloe." Maya paused and grinned. "Actually, I have a few other things you can pick up for me too while you're at it..."

Zack shrugged. "Sure, I can do that. There's a drugstore just down the street from the Tipton. So, it shouldn't take me more than fifteen minutes. Just make me a list."

Maya just kept grinning as she pulled out a piece of paper and began writing out a list for him. And when she was done, she just handed it to Zack without a word. He began scanning it, and it contained usual things like shampoo and deodorant. But when he got to the bottom of the list, his eyes went wide in surprise.

"Y...y...you really want me to pick up some...some...feminine hygiene products for you?"

She just kept smiling. "Sure. Its no big deal, is it?"

He paused. "Well, no...I've just never bought any before. What if I get the wrong...kind?"

Maya laughed. "Well, I wrote down exactly what I want. So, get exactly what's written there! If the place you go to is out, go to another place. And if you have any questions, you can call me..."

Zack sighed. "Fine." He shook his head. "Well, that's it. The next to last sign that I'm in a full fledged, serious relationship. Cody warned me this day would come, but I didn't believe him. But he was right..."

Maya kept laughing. "I think everything will be okay..."

"I guess..."

She paused. "Wait a minute...what's the last sign?"

He slumped his shoulder. "Cody told me at some point, you'd get mad at me for something that I did in one of your dreams. He told me last summer that Bailey was really upset at him because he had gone hunting with her Dad in one of her dreams. Supposedly, he came back carrying five dead ducks and was really proud of it. Cody said Bailey even cried about it even though he hasn't come close to going hunting once in his entire life. To make her realize that it was just a dream, he even told her than he had raised a baby hawk when we lived here years ago. Still, it took her several hours to forgive him even though he hadn't really done anything. Fortunately, by the next day, she was able to laugh about it and apologized to him. But, still...that's kind of weird."

She laughed. "I imagine so. And I'll let you know if you do something on one of my dreams to tick me off. Anyways, back to what we were talking about, its good that we get this taken care of today. We're going to have a really busy day next Friday."

Zack smiled. "What's this 'we', Kemosabe? I'll be chilling out next Friday afternoon waiting for you to get off work..."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me. If I'm lucky, I'll be done with work by 5:30, so we'll have to wait until then before we can get on the road. That will put us getting into New Haven by about 8:00. After getting some food, it will be close to 11:00 or 11:30 by the time we get to Marcus' place in New York. And, we have to be up early and at the airport for our 11:00 AM flight." She shook her head. "Why are we flying out of LaGuardia again instead of Logan?"

"Because Mr. Tipton doesn't want it to be traced that we flew out of Boston. Besides, Woody and Addison have it worse than us. They are flying from Toledo to Chicago on Friday night before staying at a hotel near the airport before getting on another plane at about 6:00 local time the next morning so they can meet us at LaGuardia by 10:00 in the morning."

Maya sighed. "True, but why are we stopping in New Haven on the way? It seems like it would be quicker to head on straight to New York."

Zack smiled. "Easy. Marcus only has one extra parking permit for the garage in his building. Tapeworm is going to pick up his Mom's minivan this weekend, so we can all head to New York in it and park it there. Meanwhile, we'll use his Yale parking pass, and my car will be safe and secure in the parking garage there."

She shrugged her shoulders. "That does make sense...I guess."

"It'll all work out. You'll see."

She smiled. "Yeah, it will." She paused. "And since you have so much free time this afternoon, I have another suggestion for you..."

"What's that?"

"I noticed that other day that you've yet to unpack your shorts and t-shirts from our trip to Miami. I really think you should do some laundry..."

_New Haven_

That same afternoon, Cody and Bailey returned from the library after finishing up the research for both of their final papers in their seminar classes. If all went well, they would have outlines for them both done by the next Friday, and they would be ready to begin writing them when they got back from the Caribbean. Of course, they couldn't help themselves, and every so often, they'd stop working to discuss the bomb Master Chun had dropped on them that morning. And when they finally returned to Cody's room when they were done, Gertie and Tapeworm were sitting back on the futeon and taking it easy.

"Hey guys..." Tapeworm paused and couldn't help himself. "Did you two actually leave the dorm today?"

Cody rolled his eyes. "Yes, we were over in the library doing research thank you very much." He paused himself. "Actually, its good you're both here. We have something we need to talk to you two about."

"Sounds serious..." Tapeworm checked his watch. "Hope it doesn't take too long though. Mom, Dad and my sister are coming down tonight to take us out to dinner. We're making the car switch tonight."

Bailey smiled. "It won't take that long. We just had a very interesting conversation with Master Chun earlier today that affects all of us."

Gertie spoke up. "Is everything okay?"

"Better than okay. You see..." And Bailey and Cody explained everything to Gertie and Tapeworm that they had learned that morning.

And like Cody and Bailey had earlier, both of their eyes went wide too. "Whoa! That sounds awesome!"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. All the perks of the swing dorm without having to leave Berkeley."

Bailey continued. "And we just want you both to know that we are cool with anything. I mean...I know you guys have started spending some nights together, but if you two aren't ready to live together, we completely understand."

Gertie paused to think. "Yeah, I guess that would be something to think about. But I'm sure you two are ready to start living together though..."

Cody smiled. "Well, after next summer, we'll be living together full time as it is. So, like Bailey said, it doesn't matter to us either way. We're willing to do whatever you two are comfortable with..."

Tapeworm turned to Gertie. "Maybe we should give it some serious thought and discuss it. I mean...no offense to Cody, but it might be fun to live with you." He grinned. "And you're definitely much, much cuter than he is..."

"Thanks, Man..."

Bailey laughed. "You two take your time as we have plenty of time to think about it. Master Chun said we had until the housing lottery in early April to tell him what we want to do. Even if we did keep the current arrangements, I don't think things would change much more than what they are now..."

Gertie nodded. "True. And we could still all be neighbors either way, so we'd still see each other all the time."

"Well, how about this? You two are going to be sharing a room down in the Caribbean over spring break. Why don't you two see how that goes for a week? Maybe it will help you guys decide one way or another if you think you're ready for that next step."

Tapeworm and Gertie looked at each other and nodded. "That does sound like a good idea..."

_Boston_

That next Friday, Zack finished his last class before spring break and was waiting at his and Maya's usual table waiting on her to show up. He checked his cell phone and noticed she was about ten minutes late. He just grinned to himself as it would soon be his turn to get on her case about not being there on time. However, just as he was about to call her, she ran up and sat down next to him.

Zack just smiled. "To borrow a phrase from you...you're late."

She tried to catch her breath. "I...have...a...very...good...reason...too." She stopped to take a deep breath. "I just found out that my last class I was supposed to teach this afternoon has been canceled. So, I can be done at the fit&rec center by four."

Zack paused to think. "Okay...are you already packed?"

Maya nodded. "Yeah, I am...for the most part. Why?"

"Give me the key to your dorm room, and I'll stop by, finish packing up for you and then have my car already loaded. Then, I can be waiting outside the fit&rec center at four o'clock. You can hop in the car then, and we'll hit I-90 right there."

She grinned. "Good idea! We can be in New Haven by 6:00 that way."

"Yeah. I'll give the Codester a call and tell him we'll be their early. We could be in New York by nine or so. I'll give Marcus a call too and tell him to expect us sooner."

Maya was excited now. "Its finally here! This time tomorrow, we'll be in the Caribbean!"

Zack smiled. "Yeah, we will. Just make me another list of things you need me to still pack for you."

She laughed. "You sure you want me to make you another list? I don't think you liked my last one too much...

He just gave her a look. "I just don't want to get blamed if I forget something..."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." She paused. "How about this instead? Lets skip lunch then so I can go show you where everything is I want to take..."

"Skip lunch? But I'm hungry!"

"You can get something when you get back to the Tipton. Come on, lets go..." She winked at him. "Besides, you do want to make sure I packed that bikini I told you about, right?"

Zack paused as visions of that flooded his mind. "Food, Shmood. Lets go!"

_New Haven_

That afternoon, Cody and Bailey were in the library finishing up their outlines for both of their papers. And as they were doing that, Cody's phone began vibrating. So not to disturb Bailey, he stepped out of their secret study spot to take the phone call. Five minutes later, he walked back into his room with a smile on his face.

"That was Zack. Change of plans. Maya is getting off work early, so they should be here by about 6:00 or 6:30."

Bailey nodded. "That actually works out well. We can all grab dinner in the dining hall here then before we get on the road then. That will save us all a little money to spend later."

"Good call. Though, London said the place was all inclusive, so we can buy nicer souvenirs then."

She laughed. "This whole trip still seems crazy to me, but I'm not going to complain."

"Me either." He checked his laptop. "Well, I'm done with my outlines here. How close are you?"

"Done here too. I say we head back and make sure we have everything packed. We still have time to do a last minute load of laundry if we need to."

So, both packed up their laptops and books and left the library. Heading downstairs, they found the tunnel they needed and finally came out underneath Berkeley North. Since they were already in the basement, they stopped to check their mail. And to both of their surprises, both of their mailboxes were crammed full of letters.

"Cody! I have a bunch of letters from medical schools! That was quick!"

He nodded. "Same here. Lets head up to my room and we'll see what all we have exactly."

Once they did, they opened all of their letters. And to their surprise and delight, they were all from medical schools they had applied to wanting them to schedule interviews over the summer.

Bailey laughed. "I guess we should start making phone calls to set up visits then, huh? Looks like we are going to have a busy summer, Sweetie."

Cody was reading the last one he had opened. "Or sooner. I have one here that wants to see me in a couple of weeks. If I can meet with them by March 17th, I can be considered for early admission."

Bailey was looking at hers too. "Yeah, I have one that says the same thing too." She paused. "But March 17th is the Monday after we get back from our trip." She paused again. "Wait a minute! Is yours from the same place as mine?"

They compared letters together and smiled at each other.

"Well, I guess that answers that last question we had..."

"I know. I knew things were different there now, but a small part of me was scared that I was wasting my time applying there..."

"Well, as they say, time heals all wounds and grudges..."

Cody smiled. "I guess so...and this works out perfectly because we'll already be back in Boston."

The both grabbed their phones and dialed the number on the letter. And at the same time, they heard the same opening line.

_"__Harvard Medical School Office of Admissions..."_

_To be Continued..._

__**AN: My apologies if my editing for this chapter sucks. I have a bad head cold that is reeking havoc on me right now.**


	22. Tropical Thunder

_Episode 22_

_"Tropical Thunder"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New York_

Like they had planned, Maya did get off work a little after four o'clock that afternoon. And waiting outside of the fit&rec center was Zack in his car with both of their bags packed ready to go. She jumped into his waiting car, and they were off for their spring break adventure. About six o'clock that evening, Zack and Maya arrived in New Haven to meet up with Bailey, Cody, Tapeworm and Gertie for the car switch. Naturally, Zack completely jumped at the chance to get a free meal in Berkeley's dining hall, so that's what they did. Once they were all stuffed, it was close to seven o'clock when they began the process of moving all of the bags to the back of Tapeworm's mom's minivan. And once everything was loaded and Zack's car was secure in the parking garage with Tapeworm's pass, they were ready to get on the road.

As everyone was loading into the minivan, Cody pulled Bailey back and whispered to her. "Is it just me, or has Maya been giving us...I don't know...kind of weird looks ever since they got here?"

She paused. "Yeah, I noticed it too, but I just chalked it up to the excitement of our trip. I mean, I think we're all ready for some warm weather after this winter..."

He just shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Lets get moving then."

The clock on the dashboard read 7:33 as they finally merged on to I-95 for their trip to New York City. The trip through southwestern Connecticut wasn't so bad, but when they got to the city, Tapeworm asked everyone for some help in getting around the Big Apple. While Cody and Bailey had been to Marcus's apartment a few times, they deferred to Maya's expertise in getting around the city, and she navigated Tapeworm through all sorts of short cuts that got them to their final destination at a little after nine o'clock that night. After getting the parking sticker Marcus had left for them with the gate attendant, they made their way to the assigned parking spot. And from there, they unloaded the minivan and made their way to the elevator.

Finally, when they made it to Marcus' place, they knocked on the door. When it swung open, Marcus was standing there with a big grin on his face.

"About time you all got here! Come on in!"

He hugged everyone, but when it came time to finally meeting Gertie and Tapeworm, both were in awe of meeting a celebrity of his stature.

"Y...y...you...its really you! You're Lil' Little!"

Marcus just smiled. "Well, yeah, but please, call me Marcus. Cody and Bailey have told me a lot about you both. And this is my girlfriend, Courtney..." He laughed. "Its good to finally meet the two people who have to put up the dynamic duo here now that the rest of us don't have to..."

Both Gertie and Tapeworm couldn't help but to laugh at that. "Yeah, they can be a real pain in the butt sometimes, but we like 'em. So, we keep 'em around."

As everyone began reacquainting themselves and catching up, Gertie and Tapeworm soon realized that Marcus was just a regular guy like everyone else and that they didn't need to be star struck around him. So, they joined in on the jokes and storytelling as well. Finally, after every had caught up with each other, Marcus spoke up again.

"You guys hungry? We can go out and get some food if you are. There's a great place for Brooklyn style pizza across the street."

Zack shook his head. "Ordinarily, I'd jump at that, but we just we ate at their dining hall in New Haven about two hours ago. I'm still stuffed from it..."

Maya sighed. "Yeah, thankfully BU doesn't have dining halls like that, or I'd be in trouble."

Marcus shrugged. "Well, since our flight leaves at 11:15 tomorrow, we need to be at the airport by 9:15 so we can be through security by the time Woody and Addison land. So, an airport shuttle will be here at 8:45 to pick us up. I figure if we're up by 7:00, we'll all have time to shower and get ready and everything."

Bailey spoke up. "Cody and I will set our alarm for 6:30 so we can make sure everyone else is up. Besides, we're used to getting up that early anyways."

Cody nodded. "And we can head downstairs to the bakery in your building to get donuts for everyone for a quick breakfast. We learned over Christmas break how much of a rip off food in airports can be..."

"Sounds like we have a plan then." He paused and turned to Cody and Bailey. "You know, since you two have the week after off too, you guys are more than welcome to stay in NYC for a few days. I can even drive you back to New Haven myself when you're ready to head back."

Courtney's face lit up. "Yeah, that would be great! We'd love to have you guys around even if I have to return back to class on that Monday. You know, we can make up for our bad luck over Valentine's Day."

Bailey smiled. "While we appreciate the offer, we'll have to get another rain check. We have to be back in Boston next Sunday night."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Why? To get back to your homework?"

Cody just gave him a look. "No, we both have appointments and interviews that next Monday morning at Harvard Medical School. That Monday is the last day we can interview there and still be considered for their early admissions period."

Of course, that little nugget of information caught Zack completely off guard. "You guys are interviewing with Harvard? I didn't know that..."

Cody shrugged. "Well, neither did we until this afternoon. Today, we got a bunch of letters from schools wanting us to interview over the summer, but Harvard wanted us to come in earlier..."

Zack shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I mean the fact that Harvard is even going to interview you. Last time I checked you and I were both banned for life, Broseph..."

Cody just shrugged again, but he did add in a smirk for his brother. "Yeah, we were...thanks to you. But, there is a new president over the university - one that's never met our family before. The guy who has a major grudge against us isn't there anymore. He took another job within the Department of Housing and Urban Development down in Washington. So, Bailey and I were hoping that with a new administration in Cambridge, I'd have a clean slate there. And by them actually agreeing to interview me, I'm taking it that all of the bad feelings left with President Rosenberg..."

"I remember Maria telling me there was a new president there, but I didn't know what that meant exactly. I figured we we're still blackballed.."

"Well, it looks like we aren't any longer..."

Zack could only nod though. "I guess not. Have you called Mom yet and let her know that there is a chance you two might be coming back to Boston?"

Cody shook his head. "No, and she doesn't need to yet. We don't want her to get her hopes up for something that might not happen. Especially if we end up going to med school somewhere like Stanford all the way across the country. We also have interviews scheduled for other schools too like Yale and Columbia here in New York City..."

Courtney laughed. "Wait a minute! Lets back up here a second. Is that even allowed? I know the Ivy League schools hate each other, but between Harvard and Yale, its like the Hatfields and the McCoys. The level of hatred between those two is off the chart."

Bailey smiled. "Actually, it happens all the time. Across the Ivy League, they love to steal away the other's students as a way to rub it in to the other's faces. I think I've read the numbers that say that most people do not stay at the same school from both undergrad and grad school. I mean, look at Tapeworm and Gertie. Yale got to them early and convinced them to stick around before they even thought of going somewhere else..."

Gertie nodded. "That is true. Neither one of us had thought about grad school yet, and Yale swooped in to make sure we stayed there if we did. They even waived us having to take the GRE."

"Huh...I might have to keep that in mind then myself when it comes time for law school..."

Zack shook his head. "Can we stop talking about school? I mean, I'm on spring break here. I don't want to think about school for the next year..."

But while Zack seemed to have moved on to thinking of other things, Maya wasn't quite ready to change the subject just yet. "I just want to make sure I have everything clear here. What you're telling me is that you could actually get accepted into Harvard now?"

Cody shrugged. "Well, theoretically, yeah. Its not a given though. I mean, if they liked me well enough and thought I would fit in well there, I wouldn't see any other problems."

Maya just nodded as she tried to process all of that in her mind. When she finally looked up, she saw Zack just shaking his head at her. She just grinned back and began nodding her head.

He leaned in and whispered to her. "Don't even think about it..."

She kept grinning before whispering back to him. "We'll discuss this further once we get back from the Caribbean..."

Zack just sighed to himself before hanging his head. He had a week to hope that she would forget about it or else he knew they would indeed be discussing it.

Marcus spoke up again. "Well, since I'm not in school, I like Zack's suggestion. We have a couple of hours to waste. How about we all play a board game?"

Zack, who was glad for the change in subject, quickly nodded. "Sounds good to me! As long as its not a trivia one though. No offense, but with Cody & Bailey and Gertie & Tapeworm all at Yale, Courtney at Columbia and you knowing everything about the entertainment industry, I don't like Maya's and my odds..."

_LaGuardia Airport_

The next morning, everyone was able to wake up on time to get cleaned up and still have time to grab one of the doughnuts that Cody and Bailey went out and bought. And they were actually right there on time when the airport shuttle showed up to pick them up. By a quarter after nine, the eight of them walked into the airport ready to begin their long awaited vacation. Fortunately, everyone had made sure they had their passports before they left Marcus' place, so they wouldn't have any problems getting through customs. As soon as they all checked their bags, they immediately headed for security, but since LaGuardia was a very busy airport, it took them all almost an hour to get through it. Once they finally did, they made a beeline for their gate, and when they got there, they were surprised to see two familiar faces already there waiting for them.

"Took you guys long enough. We were beginning to worry that you guys had overslept..."

Everyone laughed, but when Woody stood up to greet them, those that knew him were completely blown away by his appearance.

"Woodchuck! What the heck happened to you?"

He laughed. "Oh you mean my more healthy looking physique? You can thank Steve for that..."

Cody frowned. "Steve? But you told me that you two still weren't getting along..."

"We aren't. But for Christmas, he bought me P90X as a gag gift. Well, the joke is on him! I've actually been using it for over two months now, and I've already lost about thirty pounds!"

Zack nodded. "We can tell. Woodster, you'd pass you're fitness test much easier now...and not have to use me as a human shield."

Addison smiled. "I know, right? I think he looks so good! I can almost wrap my arms all the way around him now!"

Woody smiled back at her. "Won't be much longer until you can, my little honey baked ham." He turned to everyone else. "But I am taking this week off from it to have some fun." Woody smiled. "And Cody, looks like I'm not the only one who's changed his physique. I mean, you're still sickly thin, but I can see that you actually are more than skin and bones now. I can now call you wiry!"

Cody sighed. "Thanks, Man. Anyways, Woody, Addison, I'd like you both to meet our friends, Tapeworm and Gertie. Tapeworm is my roommate, and Gertie is Bailey's. Guys, this is the infamous Woody and Addison we've told you both so much about..."

Tapeworm laughed. "So, you're the one who got to ditch Cody as a roommate when I got stuck with him..."

Woody laughed too. "I guess so. He's all yours now, but look on the bright side - at least the room is always clean."

Zack spoke up. "The one perk of having to share a room with him!"

Cody just shook his head. "I can just feel the love around here..."

Addison laughed. "Boys, be nice. Besides..." She smiled at Bailey. "He has someone willing to take all of your places who I think he will like living with much better than any of you..."

Gertie laughed. "Oh, he does. They practically live together now as it is anyways. I sometimes wonder if I have no roommate or two roommates..."

Bailey turned to Cody. "When did it turn into pick on us day?"

Addison grinned at her. "We're just kidding. Besides, while we wait for our flight, I want to hear all the details of your wedding that you've planned. All we know so far is to hold open July 11th of next year."

Cody laughed. "Then you know as much as we do. We've been so focused on the MCAT and medical school applications, and we've made those our priority. Of course, all of those seem to be done now..." He paused and turned to Bailey. "I guess we really should start looking into getting more definite plans, huh?"

She nodded. "I guess so." She sighed. "Well talk to London when we get back to Boston. Maybe she will have some good ideas for us..."

Woody looked around. "Speaking of which, where is London? I was hoping we'd all be going on this trip..."

Zack shrugged. "She was afraid of being spotted down here with what she and her father are planning on doing."

"Yeah, about this plan of theirs - this all seems rather crazy and just waiting to blow up in our faces..." Woody paused and smiled. "I'll be just like we were back on the boat again!"

Everyone laughed until they started smelling something. Tapeworm began wiping the tears away from his eyes. "What was that? Did something just die?"

Everyone else just turned to glare at Woody. He shrugged. "Sorry...Their were breakfast burritos on our hotel's complimentary breakfast buffet this morning..."

Cody shook his head. "That's one thing I don't miss about living with him..."

Woody frowned at him. "Hey! Hurtful!"

Zack laughed. "Well, lets be glad it happened now and not while we were on the plane. Those little gas masks might have fallen down..."

_The Caribbean_

At five o'clock that afternoon, everyone was finally walking out the front door of the airport into the Caribbean air. And as much as they were enjoying feeling the warmth of the sun again, they were anxiously looking forward to getting into their rooms to change into shorts and t-shirts. But that was going to take a little while. Since they were trying to fly under the radar, they had to wait for a shuttle bus to pick them up rather than have their own private transportation waiting on them. And, unfortunately for them, their hotel was the last stop for their bus before it doubled back to the airport for another load of passengers. Once they finally got dropped off and gathered all of their things in the lobby, Zack gave Gertie everything she would need to check them all in. And while she was off doing that, he huddled everyone else up in a corner and whispered to them.

"Okay, I know we are all in paradise and we all can't wait to have fun, but I want you to remember this is still a working vacation. We're here to get information to take back to the Tiptons. So to make things easier, I have various areas I want each of you to focus on to be able to give me a review on later." He turned to Tapeworm. "For you and Gertie, since you are technology and architecture majors, I want you two to pay attention to those areas. Find areas that you like what they have done and areas where major upgrades could be made. Fill in Gertie on this once you two get up to your room."

Tapeworm just nodded. "That should be easy enough."

Zack turned to Marcus and Courtney. "Courtney, I want you to focus on any potential legal liabilities or accidents waiting to happen around here. Marcus, I want you to focus on the entertainment and nightlife aspects. Plus, since you are a quasi celebrity, I want your input on how to make it a better experience for people who want their anonymity and privacy."

Marcus grinned. "Consider it done."

Zack turned to Woody and Addison next. "You two will be my food reviewers. I want you two to try every restaurant here and tell me what you think. And I want you to try everything - breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. Make sure you try the local cuisines and see if there is anything we might want to...borrow."

Both of them were almost salivating. "Like you had to ask..."

Zack laughed. "Good. I'll be focusing on customer service, and Maya will be checking out the athletic facilities and spa areas."

Cody spoke up. "What about Bailey and I? I mean...I kind of thought you would put us on food since I have gourmet training..."

Zack grinned. "Oh, trust me, Baby Bro, I almost did. But I found something much more important for the both of you to focus on. Out of all of us here, you two have an unique vantage point on this topic. Besides, from the way you guys have been talking, I think you'll find it very educational..."

Bailey frowned. "You want us to fake an illness and review the resort's medical staff?"

He laughed. "No, even better than that..."

Before he could continue, an older woman walked over to the group and broke up their huddle.

"Are you the members of Miss Jensen's group?"

Zack nodded. "That's us."

She smiled. "Good. I'm Valerie Smith, the on site wedding coordinator. I understand you have an engaged couple who is thinking about using our resort for their wedding or honeymoon. From what I understand, they want to see everything that we could possible have to offer them..."

Zack grinned as he put his arms around Cody's and Bailey's shoulders. "Here's the happy couple right here. They're all ears and eager for you to show them everything and I mean everything you guys have here to offer..."

Cody and Bailey both just looked at each other in surprise before shrugging. This actually might be educational to them, so they didn't think it would be so bad after all. "Yeah, I guess that's us..."

"Good. If you two will follow me, we have a lot to see. Don't worry about your bags as I'll make sure they get taken up your room." She smiled. "I really think you'll like what we have to offer! We've got a lot to do, so hopefully this won't take more than a few hours...today"

The wedding coordinator grabbed both of their hands and began dragging them off.

"And then tomorrow and Sunday, I have full days planned to show you guys everything. Hopefully, we'll finish by then so you guys can enjoy your trip..."

And as she did, Cody and Bailey both realized that they had been set up. So, both turned back to glare at Zack while everyone else just laughed.

Later that evening, after everyone was settled in to their rooms, they met up in the seafood restaurant that was co-owned by a famous retired sports figure. But they didn't have to worry about prices as all of their food was all part of their all inclusive packages. As everyone was sitting around nibbling on appetizers, Cody and Bailey finally arrived and both slumped down into their chairs.

Zack just laughed. "Did you two have fun today?"

Cody just glared at him. "Oh yeah. Loads. Not only was she pushy, she insisted she go over EVERYTHING with us!"

Bailey sighed. "We finally had to tell her that jet lag and starvation were getting the best of us, so she wrapped up her little spiel...for today"

"Well, look at the bright side. Unlike everyone else, your jobs will be done by the end of this weekend."

Cody let out a sad laugh. "Oh, lucky us. We're supposed to meet her in the morning so she can show us potential locations all day. Oh, and then on Sunday morning, she wants to go over flowers, cakes and menu ideas, and then talk about reception ideas..."

Bailey shrugged. "To be honest, as painful as it was, I think it will end up being helpful. She gave us a packet of information that we can use this summer as we really do begin to plan ours. So, we have that going for us which is nice..."

Cody smiled. "True. And there is the other perk we get..."

Zack paused. "Perk? What other perk?"

"Well, this weekend, the honeymoon suite isn't in use. So, she's letting us stay there to see how we like it." He turned to Bailey. "I don't know about you, Boo Boo, but that big jacuzzi tub in there sounds really good right about now..."

"You can say that again, Cody Bear..."

Zack just shook his head in disgust. "Of course something like that would happen...I should have known. Even when I plot to give you guys a dose of misery, you still come out on top..."

After spending the whole next two day with the wedding planner, Cody and Bailey were finally free to enjoy their vacation with everyone else. And the next few days were spent with everyone taking it easy and having fun. They all took advantage of the all inclusive nature of the resort which also included activities like parasailing and jet ski rentals. All in all, it was a good chance for old and new friends to hang out together without worrying about their regular lives back home.

One afternoon, Zack and Maya were just lounging out by the pool. Both were just enjoying the fact that they had nothing else to do and that they weren't freezing.

"I told you I'd get us some place warm and tropical for spring break..."

She smiled. "Yeah, you did, and you pulled it off. Thank you. This has been exactly what I needed, Babe..."

He grinned. "Seeing you in that bikini is all the thanks I need..."

Maya laughed. "Zack..."

"Yeah?"

She shook her head. "Well, its also good not to have to think about being back at school for a whole week."

"You're telling me. I'm just glad all of my applications are done with and all of that's behind me..."

Maya turned to look at him. "Not all of them..."

"Maya..."

She smiled. "You're right. I said we wouldn't talk about that until we got back..."

Zack just closed his eyes. He was hoping their time in paradise would have made her forget about that.

Of course, while everyone was down there, they even saw the Mosebies around the resort – or the Lewises as they were to be known as for that week. But they avoided as much contact with them as possible so they could keep up appearances. However, Bailey did find herself laying in a lounge chair next to Emma one morning. And as discreetly as they could, they did whisper a conversation.

"Are you two having fun this week?"

Emma sighed. "Oh yes. Its been heavenly being away from all of my students for a week. You have no idea how much of pains in the..." She paused. "Well, you know what I mean..."

Bailey laughed. "No worries. Its heavenly being away from all of our teachers for a week. They can be just as big of pains in the butts as I'm sure students are."

"You're telling me. Well, from what we've seen of you guys, I take it you all are having fun as well..."

"We are. Plus, our side jobs have been very informational for Cody and I. We knew we had a lot of work ahead of us, but we're beginning to realized just how much we have. Something tells me our summer is going to be incredibly busy. Besides planning a wedding, we'll have about a dozen medical school interviews to go to..."

"Well, the interviews you're on your own, but if you need some help with wedding plans, just let me know. I know all about the pains of planning a wedding – especially when London is involved."

Bailey smiled. "I appreciate that. I just hope she doesn't have anything crazy already planned for us..."

Emma paused again. "I do have to ask you something. Was I imagining it the other day that Cody was actually in the hot tub with everyone else? Last time I saw him around one of those, he acted like it was painful for him to get inside of it, and he had that industrial sized bottle of sanitizer with him. I guess after that, I just figured he would avoid a hot tub at all costs..."

Bailey laughed. "Oh, I remember that too. But as he's gotten older, he's gotten so much, much better about his germaphobia. I've even gotten him to cut down on the amount of his hand sanitizer that he uses now. He now only carries around a travel size bottle where ever he goes."

"Good. I'm glad to hear that..."

"But make no mistake about it - he did make sure we were both up to date on all of our shots and immunizations before we came down here. He might be getting better, but he still has his limits..."

Emma laughed. "Well, I guess somethings will never change."

"And for that, I'm glad. I wouldn't want him to change too much. I love him just the way he is..."

Emma smiled. "Here's a piece of advice from a married woman to a woman who will soon to be married. The man you are married to will be the same one you that dated. You might be able to train him to do little things like keeping the toilet seat down, but don't expect him to suddenly be Mr. Perfect. Just remember that you married him because you love him for who he is and went to spend your life with him. Bailey, you two are still one of the most perfectly matched couples I've ever seen. You keep remembering that, and everything else will work itself out..."

Bailey nodded. "I will. I know Cody's not perfect, but he is perfect for me." She paused and grinned. "Though, I'm not sure I'd have any luck getting him to go to cat grooming classes with me..."

Unfortunately for everyone, their week in paradise went by way to quickly for their likings. And on the that next Saturday, their last full day at the resort, they did everything they could to try to make it a memorable one. But they couldn't stop the minutes and hours from ticking away, and by eight o'clock that night, they all found themselves together having on last dinner together.

Woody shook his head. "I can't believe this week is almost over. It feels like we just got here..."

Zack nodded. "I know. And I keep trying to forget that fact that I have to go back to real work and school in less than 48 hours."

"Its just this week has felt like we were all back on the boat again. It was like nothing had changed at all."

Addison patted her boyfriend's leg. "But things have changed, Woody. None of us are teenagers any longer. And in a little over a year, most of us will be college graduates. Face it. We're all growing up, and there's no going back to how it used to be..."

Zack sighed. "I know, but it was nice to have a week where things were like they used to be. I mean...the next time we'll all probably be in the same place together at the same time again will be Cody and Bailey's wedding..."

Maya patted her boyfriend's leg this time. "But it won't be the last time. There will always be other weddings or class reunions or simple visits to see each other."

Bailey nodded. "Exactly. Distances don't end friendships. All it does is make you appreciate the times you do have with your friends. I mean, next year, Cody and I could be out in California. We'd only see everyone else on holidays and special occasions. I'm not looking forward to that, but I'll accept it if I know that everyone is happy doing what they want to do..."

Marcus let out a small laugh. "You know, for such a fun week, it seems like we're going out with a whimper. This is kind of depressing."

"But what do we do?" Zack shrugged. "As Moseby likes to remind me, we're all adults now and can be tried as them."

Cody paused and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm about to say this and put the idea in your head, but I really hope you aren't planning another silly prank. The last one came close to leaving me an only child..."

Marcus' eyes lit up. "Yeah! I didn't get to be part of that last one you pulled on Moseby! I'm game for one right now..."

Courtney just looked at him. "Speak for yourself. I still have to pass a background check to be able to sit for the bar exam some day. I'm not going to risk that by getting arrested down here for pulling some silly stunt!"

Zack nodded. "She's right. If we did something, odds are we would get busted. I'm pretty sure the cops down here wouldn't be as easy to elude as Kirby was. Even worse, if we did something, it might get back to Mr. Tipton. And as we've seen, getting on his bad side is the last thing that any of us wants..."

"So what do we do then?"

"I have no idea. I'm open to ideas though..."

Maya paused and smiled. "Well, its not the most exciting thing in the world, but I think I have an idea..."

While Maya's plan wasn't as sneaky or underhanded as some of the things they had all pulled off when they were younger, everyone was satisfied that it was the appropriate way to end their trip. Once it was done, everyone went in their separate directions to have one last night with their significant other. One of the couples in particular had something else on their minds as the counted down their last hours in paradise. So, they went for a walk on the beach in the moonlight to discuss it.

"Well, we've been here a week...what do you think?"

Gertie turned and smiled at Tapeworm. "You know, I think I've made a decision if you have..."

He smiled back. "I think I have too...assuming it matches yours."

"I have to admit - the extra room of a queen sized bed has been nice, but I've gotten a glimpse of what us living together would be like..." She paused. "And I think I'm ready to try it on a more permanent basis..."

He just kept smiling. "Yeah, I feel the exact same way. No offense to Cody, but I think I'm ready to swap roommates with Bailey..."

She just laughed. "Something tells me they won't mind..."

"Think we should go tell them now?"

"Nah..." Gertie grinned. "I'm sure they're enjoying their last night alone they have down here. Maybe we should do the same thing?"

"I love the way you think..."

The next morning, everyone was packed and ready to head back to the real world. A van was there to pick them up to take them to the local airport, and as they were loading up, everyone had a sad demeanor that their week in paradise with their friends had come to an end.

Zack just shook his head. "Man, growing up has its perks, but at other times, it downright sucks!"

Woody laughed. "Never thought I'd ever hear Zack say it had its perks."

Addison spoke up. "But we really need to plan on doing something like this again soon. Maybe we can all get together for spring break next year too?"

Bailey nodded. "Sounds good to me. We'll just have to hope we all get the same week off again next year. I know for us at Yale, we have two weeks to work with. So, once we know, we can begin working on something."

Everyone just nodded, but they knew it was time to get in the van. And as they did, they all glanced over at the freshly poured concrete side walk from the night before. At the bottom of it, there was some writing carved in to it.

_"__M&C + W&A + Z&M + C&B + D&G were all here 3/2014, and we had a blast!"_

__To be Continued...__


	23. Dr Geckel and Prof Hyden

_Episode 23_

_"Dr. Geckel and Prof. Hyden"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_The Airport_

Unfortunately, not everyone would be taking the same flight back to LaGuardia in New York, so the tiny airport in the Caribbean is where everyone had to begin saying their goodbyes. Rather than fly to New York then back to Chicago and then finally to Toledo, Woody and Addison would instead be flying to Orlando where they could get a connecting flight directly back to Toledo. So, once everyone checked their bags and got through security, it was time for them to go their separate ways. While the flight to New York had its gate at the end of one concourse, the flight to Orlando was at the end of the opposite one. So, standing in the middle of the airport, Woody and Addison hugged everyone one last time.

"Well, guys...this week has been a lot of fun, and it reminded me of our times on the ship. But like our time on the boat, it had to come to an end eventually..."

Woody could only sigh and nod. "I know. But this week will get me through the next two months of school. And then I'll have the summer where I won't have think about school for a single second!"

Zack laughed. "Preach on, Brother Woody! For the first time, I won't be taking any summer classes either..."

Maya rolled her eyes at the both of them. "Will you two shut up? Some of us are looking at a summer of taking two physics classes so they can graduate early in a couple of years..."

Bailey smiled. "Don't worry. If you need any help, Cody and I will be around."

"I was kind of hoping two would offer, so I'm going to hold you to that!"

Addison laughed. "Alright, well unfortunately,that was our flight that was just called. Everyone take care of themselves." She turned to Bailey. "And when you two figure out some more details about your wedding, you better let us know. And if I can help in any way, you let me know that too."

"I will. Besides, after a week of being around everyone again, Cody and I need to get this planned so we all have another reason to get together like this again. I'll definitely let you know once we figure anything else out."

Zack wrapped his arm around Woody's shoulders. "And you, Plywood, better start thinking of good ideas for the bachelor party...I mean, Cody has already said that Bailey is going to let him have one!"

Bailey turned to them. "Within reason of course. And the same goes for any kind of bachelorette party. Cody and I have discussed this, and neither of us have any need for anything like the movies _The Hangover_ or _Bridesmaids_..."

Cody spoke up. "Exactly! I have no desire to be locked up on a room and left for dead!"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah...We'd find you eventually."

Woody shook his head and laughed. "Now this is the kind of stuff that I really miss with the constant snipes at each other. I almost forgot how much fun it was to watch them do them..." He pulled both Zack and Cody into a big hug. "I'm really going to miss you guys." He looked over at the others. "And it was fun getting to finally meet you two, Gertie and Tapeworm. I never thought I'd meet anyone who could go head to head with me in an eating contest, but you did. You are the Joey Chestnut to my Kobayashi. You have my eternal respect..."

Tapeworm just looked at him and nodded. "Thanks...I think."

Addison grabbed Woody's arm. "Come on, Honey. We have to get going. I know missing our flight and having to stay here longer doesn't sound too bad, but we have to get back to Toledo..."

And with that, they were gone. An hour later, the remaining eight boarded their flight back to New York. After several hours in the air, they landed about three o'clock that afternoon in New York City, and by four thirty, they had cleared customs and were back at Marcus' apartment.

"Sure you guys can't hang around a little while longer? I think the Bruins are playing the Rangers at the Garden tonight..."

Everyone shook their heads. "Wish we could, Man. But we have to get moving. But since we're all relatively close, give us call sometime and we'll come down to New York or you all can come up to Boston. I mean...you still haven't seen the Tipton yet."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I really do need to see this place after everything you all have told me about it." He paused and smiled. "Plus, it would be nice to see London again..."

After another round of goodbyes, Cody, Bailey, Gertie, Tapeworm, Zack and Maya were on their way to New Haven. And when they got there, it was time for the final round of goodbyes of the day. Gertie and Tapeworm weren't done with the beach just yet as they were heading down to Gertie's family's beach house in New Jersey for a few days before heading back north to spend a few days with his family. So, after swapping everyone's bags into their respective cars, it was time for everyone to go their separate ways.

"Well, we'll see you two in a week. And Zack and Maya, we'll see you two again real soon."

Zack nodded. "Sounds good to me, Man." He paused and smirked. "But don't have too much fun going back to the beach while I'm back in class and working."

Tapeworm grinned. "I'll try not too. It'll be nice there, but the weather will be about thirty degrees cooler at best..."

Gertie turned to Cody and Bailey. "And good luck to the both of you in your interviews tomorrow. I know you'll both do well."

Bailey smiled. "Thanks, we appreciate that."

Gertie smiled back. "Oh, and by the way, Howie and I did some talking last night..."

Zack interrupted her. "Who's Howie?"

Tapeworm raised his hand. "That's me. Howie is her nickname for me, and Gigi is mine for her."

"Oh..." He turned to his brother and whispered. "Howie?"

Cody just shrugged.

Gertie continued. "Anyways, like I was saying, we talked last night about our living arrangements for next year, and..." She grinned again. "I think we're ready to trade you guys in as roommates if you two don't mind."

Cody laughed. "Oh, I think we'll find some way to manage..."

Maya spoke up. "What do you mean that you'll be switching roommates? Will Yale allow that?"

Briefly, the Yale four filled Zack and Maya in on what was going to be happening with their dorm over the summer and all of the implications that came with it.

Maya's eyes went wide. "Wow! That sounds amazing! I already thought my dorm room looked like a jail cell compared to yours. I can only imagine how much worse it will look in comparison next year..."

Cody just gave her a look. "Like you spend much time there anyways..."

Zack just shrugged. "He does have a point there, Babe..."

She grabbed his arm. "Well, we should get moving if we want to get back to Boston before its too late. Besides, some of us have a class at 8 AM in the morning..." Maya turned to Bailey. "You guys want to follow us back to Boston? We can grab some dinner in Providence on the way back."

"Actually, you guys might want to go ahead. We have to stop by our dorm to get our books, our laptops and our dress clothes for tomorrow. So we could be up to a half hour behind you guys..."

"Thirty minutes is no big deal. We'll just follow you over to your dorm and wait for you guys so we can caravan back."

So with that, everyone hugged Gertie and Tapeworm goodbye as they hopped in the minivan to head back south. And after a stop by Berkeley North, the other four were on their way back to Boston. At about a quarter after eleven, they all finally pulled into the Tipton parking garage. And by then, everyone was beginning to feel the effects of having traveled all day. So, with the remaining strength they had, they begin unloading their bags to take them upstairs. And as they did, Maya sighed.

"I guess I should get my bags and catch a train back to my norm."

Zack shook his head. "Nah, leave them in the trunk. I'll drive you over there myself."

"You sure? You look exhausted, Babe."

He smiled. "I'm sure. Besides, managing luggage on the subway isn't an easy task...especially this late at night. And I'll feel better knowing you got back there safe and sound."

_Zack and Cody's Suite_

While Zack drove Maya back over to campus, Cody and Bailey grabbed their bags out of the trunk of their car and headed back up to the suite on the 23rd floor. And by the time they walked inside, both of them were dragging due to the exhaustion of having flown all day and then driving back to Boston from New York. Fortunately, their interviews weren't until eleven o'clock the next morning, so they took some comfort in knowing they could sleep in some and wouldn't be rushed when they did wake up. So, they decided they would wait until the next day to unpack their bags because, at that moment, all they wanted to do is to slip into their pajamas and go to bed. After as they changed, Cody turned to Bailey.

"Bails, if you don't mind, I'll put off ironing our business suits until in the morning..."

She yawned. "Fine by me. But Sweetie?"

"Yeah?"

She smiled. "Don't worry about ironing any socks for me. I plan on wearing hose tomorrow..."

He could only shake his head and laugh. "You're never going to let me forget that I do that, are you?"

"Nope. But I do understand wanting to look our best for tomorrow. And I know we just got back from a vacation, but I think when we're done tomorrow, I'll be happy to just come back here and finally rest up and recover from last week."

Cody yawned himself. "Sounds good to me. We can put off starting to write our papers until Tuesday."

"Now that sounds like a plan to me. Come on, Sweetie...lets go to bed."

Cody nodded, and as they were about to pull the comforter and sheet back so they could climb into bed, they heard a knock at the front door. He just sighed.

"Now, who could that be at this hour?"

Bailey shrugged. "Maybe its your Mom wanting to see how our trip was?"

"You're probably right. I'll just tell her we're exhausted and will talk to her tomorrow."

Cody walked out of their bedroom and out into the living room so he could answer the door. But when he opened it upd, London marched into the suite past him.

He just looked at her in surprise. "London?"

"I figured you guys would be back by now. I have something important I need to discuss with you ASAP. Where's Bailey?"

Upon hearing her name called, Bailey walked out into the living room, and she saw it was London who had stopped by. "Oh, hey London..."

"Good, you're both here. Like I said, I have something important I need to talk to you two about."

Bailey sighed. "We told Zack we'd have our reports done for him before we headed back to school on Saturday. You and your father will have them by the end of the week."

London just looked at her funny. "Huh?" She paused. "Oh, that? I wasn't worried about that at all. I have something else I need to discuss with you two."

"Can it wait until tomorrow afternoon? We just got home, and we're exhausted. Plus, we have interviews over at the Harvard Medical School in the morning."

London just gave her a look. "Harvard? But I thought Brain Boy over here was banned from there?"

Cody sighed. "There's a new president now, so we think my ban was lifted when the old one left..." He turned to Bailey. "Are we the only ones who keep up with news like that?"

Bailey smiled. "Looks that way..."

London shook her head. "Oh...well, congratulations to you two then. I hope everything works out and you two come back to Boston. It'll be nice to have you two back. Now, back to what I came her for. This won't take five minutes."

Cody and Bailey just looked at each other and shrugged. They were both well aware by then that if London was set on doing something, the best thing to do was just to let her do it.

"Alright. What's up?"

London pulled a folder out of her purse and handed into Bailey. "Take a look at these and let me know what you think."

Bailey opened the folder as Cody walked over to look over her shoulder. And what they saw were photographs of a tropical beach and of a cliff overlooking a crystal blue body of water.

"I don't understand, London. I mean...these are beautiful, but what exactly are we looking at here?"

London smiled. "Those are pictures taken on the property of the Tipton Grand Hawaiian Resort on Maui."

But in their sheer tiredness, Cody and Bailey weren't able to connect the dots. "And why are you showing them to us?"

She rolled her eyes. "I expected more from the two geniuses. You two said it would be your dream to get married in Hawaii where you had your first date as well as have it outdoors. Well, I think those locations you see pictures of fit the bill, don't they?"

Bailey and Cody looked at each other and shook their heads to clear them. "Well, yeah...we did say that, but there is no way we could afford a place like this..."

"Hello? Its a Tipton resort! I would never ask you guys to pay for it."

Bailey's eyes went wide as it was finally dawning on her what London was saying. "Whoa..." She paused. "London, this is great, and we appreciate the offer, but there is no way our families and friends could afford to fly to Hawaii to see us get married..."

London rolled her eyes again. "Really? Do I have to spell this out to you two of all people?"

Both Cody and Bailey still had looks of confusion on their faces. "Well..."

She sighed. "Fine. In case you didn't know, I do have access to the Tipton line of jets too, plus Daddy owns a minority share in an airline. How do you think you all flew down to the Caribbean without paying for it? Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that I would take care of everything here! All you and your guests would have to do is just show up for it!"

Now, Cody and Bailey were on the same page as London, but while sounded absolutely perfect, they just couldn't accept it. "London, we're flattered, but we couldn't ask you do that for us. I'd feel like we were taking advantage of our friendships."

"Oh please! I've taken advantage of my friendships with you two for years. It would be a way for me to even up things a little bit. Cody, if not for you, there would never have been a Yay Me! And lets not get into the numerous times you were around here to help me out back in the day. And Bailey, let me do this, and we can consider us even for me taking over your closet for almost three years..." She sighed. "Besides, you guys are two of my best friends. I'm in a position to help you guys live out your dream wedding. If the roles were reversed, I know you would do the same for me..."

Cody turned to look at Bailey. "What do you think?"

She paused. "Well, we did say this would be perfect..."

He took her hands. "And I do want to give you the wedding of your dreams. Will this do that?"

She smiled at him. "As long as you are at the end of the altar when I get there and you say 'I do', then anywhere would be perfect to me."

He smiled back. "To me too."

London rolled her eyes again. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You guys love each other, and in the end, it doesn't really matter. But there is an offer here on the table. Is this a go then?"

Bailey turned to her and smiled. "Yeah, its a go...Lets do it!"

London clapped her hands. "Good! When you two get back this summer, we'll really get to work. Until then, begin working on guest lists. I'll need to know as soon as possible how many rooms and seats on a plane were going to need. And Bailey, while I know Kettlecorn isn't that big, we can't invite the whole town because they won't all fit on the beach or the cliff..."

She laughed. "Don't worry, I won't. I would just invite my close friends and family members..."

London sighed. "Great...only half the town then..."

_Maya's Dorm_

After parking in an free spot outside of her dorm, Zack and Maya carried all of her bags inside. And even though it was getting late and well past the normal visiting hours on a school night, Rosie just nodded at them and let them pass. Finally, once they got Maya's door open, they dropped her bags right by her closet.

Maya yawned. "7:00 AM is going to come way too early tomorrow morning..."

"Tell me about it. I might have to lock my office door and take me a nap in the morning..."

She just gave him a look. "Oh no you're not!"

"Why not? Thanks to the first eight weeks of the semester and last week, I already have about 350 of my 400 hours done. That's only 50 more over the next five weeks. I can literally do that in my sleep..."

Maya laughed. "That's not what I meant. I was referring to you have another application to fill out tomorrow. I didn't bring it up over spring break so that we could enjoy our week away from school, but now that we are back, I am. Cody said you two aren't banned from Harvard any more. Zack, you owe it to yourself to at least give it a shot..."

Zack sighed. "I don't know why I should even bother. Babe, there is no way I would ever get in there. I mean...its not just the best business school in Boston, but it might be the best one in the world..."

"So? You've done well at BU and on your GMAT. I think you really should give it shot. I mean, its like I told you before...what's the worst thing that can happen? They'll say no. But just think, Zack...what if they say yes?"

He shook his head. "Maya, this isn't some movie or television show where the impossible can happen. Its the real world. And I know I don't have a chance in hell of getting in there!"

"If that's your attitude, then no, you don't. But the Zack Martin I know doesn't let the odds get in his way. I remember a young man who kept chasing after me even though I never gave him any reason to. Instead of thinking it was impossible and giving up, he hung in there and finally won me over. It was that same attitude that rubbed off on to me and wouldn't let me give up on getting him back when the roles were reversed."

Zack paused to consider that. "I don't know...maybe."

Maya smiled. "Well, if for no other reason, would you do it for me?"

He groaned. "Hey! That's not fair! You're not going to kiss me again are you and make me do what you want, are you?"

She leaned in and gave him a long kiss. "Now...would I ever do something like that to the man I love?"

Zack closed his eyes and hung his head. "Fine. I'll do it. I'll fill out an application for you, but don't be surprised when I get a big fat rejection letter from them!"

Maya smiled again. "All I'm asking you to do is try..."

"Okay, I'll try..." He paused and grinned. "...if I can get another one of those kisses before I leave."

Maya grinned. "Deal..."

_Zack and Cody's Suite_

The next morning, Zack was up by 7:15 and dressed and ready to leave the suite by twenty till eight. The way he figured it, he had time to grab one of his breakfast bars and eat it while he walked to work. So, slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he headed out of his bedroom and on into the living room area of the suite. He had just grabbed a breakfast bar out of the box on the counter and turned to head towards the door when he was startled by a voice coming from behind him.

"Off to work?"

Zack jumped in surprise. Turning, he saw his brother standing over an ironing board pressing a dress shirt.

"Cody! You scared the..."

Cody shushed him. "Keep it down. Bailey is still asleep. I just happened to wake up early and decided to go ahead and iron our clothes for later this morning."

Zack shook his head as he patted his chest. "Still, don't scare me like that again..."

Cody ignored that. "I take it you got in late last night...

"Yeah, it was after midnight..."

"Bailey and I were planning on going to bed as soon as we got back in last night, but we had an interruption before we could. London stopped by to see us..."

Zack nodded. "Yeah, I would have been home sooner, but there was something important Maya wanted to talk to me about..." He paused and was about to ask Cody a question about what he thought his chances of getting into Harvard were, but before he could, Cody spoke up again.

"Sounds like that was the theme of the evening. London had something important she wanted to talk to us about too."

"What did she want?" He sighed. "Was she wanting the reports from our trip already?"

Cody smiled. "No, nothing like that. Actually, thanks to her, we now know where we're getting married..."

"Yeah? Where?"

Cody propped up the iron before hanging the dress shirt on a hanger. He walked over to the kitchen table, picked up the folder London had brought over, opened it up and showed the pictures to Zack. "Here...in Hawaii!"

Zack's eyes went wide. "Whoa! You mean we're all heading back to Hawaii next summer?"

Cody grinned. "Yeah, we are. We don't have any more details yet to tell anyone though. And we won't until after this semester is over, and we have time to think it through. But looks like we have our next group trip planned. Its just this time, Bailey and I probably won't be returning home the same time as everyone else. And when I do get back, I'll have a wife..."

Zack laughed. "Well, assuming she says 'I do'..."

Cody rolled his eyes. "Not funny."

By now, all thoughts of asking Cody about Harvard had completely left Zack's mind as visions of Hawaii danced in in head. He just grinned though as he thought of something else. "Well, while you two are planning that, I really need to get to work and begin planning the bachelor party..."

"Remember, nothing outrageous, Zack. What Esteban and Moseby had would be fine with me. I don't view it as me handing in my bachelorhood card and needing a last weekend of freedom."

"Oh please. You handed in your bachelorhood card the moment you met Bailey. You haven't seen that thing in years..."

"Irregardless. You know what I mean, and I hope you will respect my wishes."

Zack sighed. "Fine. But I'm still going to make sure its fun..." He checked his watch and noticed he only had ten minutes to get to work. "D'oh...gots to go or I'll be late."

_Harvard Medical School_

About a hour after Zack sprinted out of the suite to try to get to work on time, Bailey finally woke up. And by the time she did, Cody had finished ironing their dress clothes and had fixed them a healthy, nutritious breakfast. She thanked him for both with an extra long good morning kiss. After eating and getting cleaned up, they were ready to leave the Tipton by ten o'clock that morning. And not wanting to risk getting their clothes dirtied on the subway, they opted to drive over to the Harvard Medical school and park in the visitor's lot.

Once they parked and walked inside, they checked in at the office of admissions and both were instructed to go to separate meeting rooms down the hall and wait for their interviewers to show up. Before they left to go to into their separate rooms, Bailey smiled and kissed Cody again.

"Good luck, Cody Bear. Knock 'em dead!"

He smiled back at her. "Good luck to you too, Boo Boo. I know you'll wow them..."

When Bailey got to her interview room, she sat down to wait, but she didn't have long before her interviewer came inside. And Dr. Geckel was an older woman with a warm smile, kind face and seemingly pleasant demeanor.

"Thank you for coming in to talk with us this morning, Miss Pickett. After seeing your application, your scores and your transcript, I was really looking forward to meeting you. Can I get you a cup of coffee or something else to drink?"

Bailey smiled. "No thank you, Ma'am. My fiance made me a big breakfast this morning, so I'm fine right now."

"Fiance, huh? I hope he supports you in your goal to be a doctor. Having a good support system is very important."

"Yes, Ma'am. In fact, Cody is in a room down the hall having his own interview as we speak."

Dr. Geckel paused. "Would that be Cody Martin?"

Bailey smiled again and nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. That's him."

She smiled again too. "I remember his application as well. Both of yours were very impressive, and we were all excited when you both called in to set up interviews." She laughed. "Having someone go through this with you is very helpful. My own husband and I did the same thing about..." Dr. Geckel laughed. "...well, lets just say quite a few years ago."

Bailey laughed too. "Well, we've been a team in high school and at Yale, and I think we've done extremely well as a team."

"After seeing your applications, I would have to concur. Now, Miss Pickett..."

"Call me Bailey if you like, Ma'am."

Dr. Geckel smiled even wider. "I will if you call me Henrietta. Anyways, I see you are originally from Kansas." She laughed again. "I'm from Missouri originally, but I won't hold that against you..."

Bailey laughed again too. "I appreciate that..." But already, Bailey was at ease and felt really good about how her interview was going to go.

Down the hall, Cody was sitting in his interview room as well. Unlike Bailey though, it would be almost a half hour before his interviewer came inside. And unlike with Bailey's, when he did, Prof. Hyden dispensed with the usual chit chat, and just sat there silently reviewing Cody's application in front of him. Cody looked at him and saw a short, stout, balding man with glasses and a goatee who looked like he was very no nonsense.

"Now, Mr. Martin. I've reviewed your application, transcripts and scores. All very impressive, but to be honest, everyone we interview here has impressive ones too. However, I have two questions for you to start off with, and I expect honest responses."

Cody just nodded. "Yes, Sir, of course."

Dr. Hyden almost glared at Cody. "I understand you didn't get into Yale at first. Want to explain to me how you did end up getting in there?"

Cody swallowed as this was not a question he had been expecting, but he decided to be honest so it wouldn't come back and bite him in the butt later. "Well, to be honest, Dr. Hyden, my high school and Yale both made a mistake at first. They had my SAT scores, but they had my twin brother's transcripts. Unfortunately, he didn't...do as well in high school as I did. Once I realized what the mistake was, I alerted Yale to it, but they told me it was too late. So, I...convinced the father of a friend of mine to help me out, and he was able to make a few phone calls on behalf. But while I may not have gotten in the conventional way, I believe my work there has proven that I was worthy of admission in the first place."

Dr. Hyden just looked at him for a few minutes. "Moving on, I believe you had a brief encounter with former Harvard President Rosenberg and his daughter that caused you to be permanently banned from Harvard. He may be gone now, but your name still brought up a red flag in our system. Care to give me your version of what happened? Oh, and I must warn you - President Rosenberg and I were roommates in undergrad here at Harvard. I know his version, and based on that and your unorthodox way of getting into a lesser school like Yale, explain to me why you think you deserve acceptance to a medical school of the caliber of Harvard!"

Cody just sat there in shock for a second. This was turning into the nightmare of all interviews.

About an hour later, Bailey was waiting on Cody to get out his interview, and she couldn't have been happier. Her interview had gone really well, and she felt very good about her chances of getting accepted to Harvard Medical School. But when she saw Cody walking towards her, she couldn't help but notice the look on his face. It was a combination of anger and sadness.

"Cody?"

He shook his head. "Well, I can scratch off Harvard from list of schools I might get accepted into!"

_To be Continued..._


	24. Harvard Doesn't Exist Anymore

_Episode 24_

_"Harvard Doesn't Exist Anymore"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_Harvard Medical School_

Bailey was completely taken aback by Cody's sudden outburst, and she was about to ask him what he meant when he walked right past her and out the front door of the building. After a few seconds of just standing there in pure shock of him doing that, she quickly followed him outside. And when she got out there, Bailey saw Cody pacing back and forth on the sidewalk mumbling to himself as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. From the expression on his face, she could tell that he was really upset about whatever had just happened. Bailey realized she had to get him calmed down before she could find out what had set off her so usually mild mannered fiance. So, as as quickly as she could, she walked over to him, blocked his path and placed her hands on his shoulders to get his focus on to her.

"Cody...Cody...Sweetie..." When she saw he was now looking at her, she continued. "I can see that you're really upset right now, but take a few deep breaths and tell me everything that happened."

He just nodded and did what she said. Cody took several deep breaths, and when he felt like he had gotten his emotions under control again, he shook his head. "Bails, it was a complete set up! It was like I could hear Admiral Ackbar in my head yelling 'It's a trap!'..."

She kept her calm though. "Alright, tell me exactly why you think it was a set up."

Cody took another deep breath and then told her what the first two questions in his interview had been. "He even told me that my name brought up a red flag in their system, and that he used to be roommates in college with the former president who hates my family. And those two questions were just the tip of the iceberg. Every single question after that that he asked me was just as brutal as those first two. Instead of interviewing to get into medical school, I felt like I was fighting for my life..."

And as he told her all of this, Bailey's eyes went wide in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

He nodded sadly. "Completely. I was totally blindsided..." He sighed. "I guess Todd was right - expect the unexpected. I didn't, and I just got completely burned by it. I guess I'll know better for in the future..."

Bailey could feel her own anger beginning building right then. No one treated her Cody like that, and she had the sudden urge to walk back into the building and give that Dr. Hyden a piece of her mind. Well, she wanted to do more than that, but she repressed the urge to make him a gelding. The only thing that stopped her from doing going to tell off Cody's interviewer was knowing that Cody needed her right then a whole lot more.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you, Sweetie. If you ask me, what Professor Hyden did was completely unprofessional and totally uncalled for..."

Cody just sighed again. "It is what it is. I tried to keep my composure as best as I could and defend my self on every single question Dr. Hyden had, but it felt like he already had his mind made up about me before he even met me. So, once that realization dawned on me, I knew I didn't have anything to lose. But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had beaten me. So, I held my head up high, tried to stay as professional as I could and I answered every remaining question he had as honestly and truthfully as I could. I guess I'll know from now on to expect completely irrelevant and off the wall questions like those." He paused. "Well, maybe not like those. I don't think any other school has that kind of a grudge against me..."

"While you might be right about that, it still doesn't excuse what he did to you. While you tried to remain professional, its obvious that he did not. I say we forget all about Harvard and move on to the other schools who actually want to talk to us."

He could only nod before he paused as something occurred to him. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I didn't even ask how your interview went. I sincerely hope it went better than mine did."

Bailey shook her head. "It doesn't matter right now. They could offer me all the tea in China to go to school here, but I won't because of how you were treated..."

Cody just gave her a look. "Bails..."

She put her finger up to silence him. "No, don't even go there. Remember, we told each other that when it came time for grad school, we would go to a place where we were both wanted. Just because its.." She used air quotes. "...Harvard doesn't mean anything to me. There are still other wonderful schools that we have interviews with this summer. Cody, we're a team, and nothing is going to come between us. If anyone attacks one of us, they are attacking both of us. And one day, Harvard is going to rue the day they treated you like this. It will be some other school you give credit to when you accept your Nobel Prize. So, no more ifs ands or buts about it, got me?"

He smiled at her. "Thank you. Thanks for bringing me back off the ledge..."

She smiled back. "Any time. Besides, you did the same thing for me when we got our MCAT scores back. Like I said before, I say we forget Harvard even exists..." She paused before laughing. "...well, until next November. Then, we'll get tickets for the Big Game up here and come up here and root as hard as we can against their arrogant, vindictive butts! But for right now, I say we head back to the hotel, change clothes, and then go do something fun to try to forget all about this. We have the rest of the day to do whatever we want before we get back to what really matters tomorrow. This summer, we'll find the right school for us that respects us and legitimately wants us..."

"You're right. I think I'd like that." He pulled her in for a tight embrace. "Thank you again, Bails. I don't know what I'd ever do without you."

She smiled again as she squeezed him tight. "Good thing you won't ever have to find out."

He pulled back and grinned. "And its that thought that makes days like today tolerable." He paused and laughed. "You know there is a silver lining..."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"We didn't tell my Mom what we were doing today. This way, her hopes won't be crushed when she finds out its now an impossibility..."

Bailey just shook her head at him and smiled. "Come on, lets go home."

_Boston University_

At the same time, a couple of blocks to the north, on BU's campus, Maya was waiting at their usual table for Zack to show up for lunch. And while he was late again, she just shrugged her shoulders as she was hoping she knew the reason why. A few minutes later, when he finally did arrive, she smiled at him.

"I'm hoping you're late because you were busy with a special project this morning..."

He kissed her cheek. "Oh, I was. I actually had some real work to do today to catch up on after missing a week. You would think that place fell apart last week while I was gone..."

She nodded. "Well, that's understandable I guess. I take it you didn't get a chance to work on your new application."

He smiled. "Oh, I did. I already finished it and put it in the mail as I was leaving today... "

That surprised her. "You did?"

Zack laughed. "Yes, I did. I guess I'm pretty good at filling out applications by now since I've done so many already. And while they wanted me to write like five different essays, all of them were identical to ones I had already written for other schools. So, either they ripped off Harvard or Harvard ripped them off. Either way, its done and submitted - all for you..."

Maya just leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Babe..."

"Of course, I'm totally wiped out now. I just hope I don't fall asleep in my class this afternoon..."

She laughed. "What am I going to do with you?"

He grinned. "Well, I know what you're going to be doing with me next summer..."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Going to Hawaii. London stopped by and talked to Cody and Bailey last night, and she is going to arrange for them to get married in Hawaii. So, we'll all be going out there for their wedding!"

Maya's eyes went wide. "Are you serious?"

Zack nodded. "I'm dead serious. Seems like those two had thought that would be the perfect place to get married since their first date was in Hawaii while we were there during the teen cruise..." He paused before shaking his head. "...almost six years ago. Wow, has it really been that long? Anyways, their going to get married on a beach out there or on a cliff over looking the Pacific or something like that..."

"Awww...That sounds so romantic!"

"Yeah, it actually kind of does. They still have a lot to do, but Cody said London was giving them the rest of the semester before she really put the pressure on them to decide everything else this summer. But the fact remains, we need to get used to saying 'Aloha'..."

"This summer is not that far away. Counting this week, we only have six weeks of school left ourselves."

"I know. That's the only downside to our spring break trip. It'll be another week before I'm fully focused on school again. Fortunately, I only have three real classes this semester to worry about. And I'll have all of my hours for my other done in the next few weeks..."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Again, just shut up about your easy schedule. I have five classes this semester and two more this summer..."

He grinned and teased her. "I know. Its going to be fun this summer to sit back and watch TV while you're doing homework..."

She glared at him hard. "Are you trying to get in to my doghouse right now? Because if you are, you're doing a real good job of it!"

Zack laughed. "Nah, I'm just teasing you, Babe. How are those two physics classes looking anyways?"

Maya shrugged. "About as well as could be hoped for. Both classes will be 9:00-10:30 every morning. Which works out well since the first swim lessons I'll have won't be until 11:00 in the mornings. I still have to find lab times that will fit with my work schedule though."

He grinned. "Sounds rough...Glad its you and not me."

She glared at him again. "Stop while you're ahead..."

_The Tipton_

Seems Cody may have spoken a bit prematurely about his mother not finding out what they had done that morning. By the time they got back to the car, Cody was feeling better about what had happened to him, but Bailey still insisted that she drive them home. And her less familiarity with driving the streets of Boston almost go them caught. If they had caught one more green light or taken one more shortcut on the way back to the hotel, they could have slipped back into their suite and changed clothes without worrying about anything. But they didn't. As Cody was unlocking the door to the suite, Carey happened to walk out of the door of hers across the hall. And when she saw them, she lit up.

"There you guys are! Welcome back from your trip! I..." She paused as she noticed something and frowned. "Why are you both so dressed up?"

Quickly, Cody had to think of a quick of a way cover. "Oh...why are we dressed up? Ummm... we had a...ummm... school related meeting this morning with an organization we were hoping to join and wanted to look our best for it..."

Carey just looked at them suspiciously. "Oh really?"

Both of them could tell that she wasn't buying his story, so Bailey quickly brought up a new topic hoping it would distract her future mother-in-law. "We do have some good news for you though..."

"Yeah? What's that?"

Bailey smiled. "We have another aspect of our wedding decided. We know where it will be now!"

Carey lit up again at hearing that. "Oh yeah? Where?"

Cody grinned. "Hawaii. The site of our first date. And even though we don't agree with her, London wants to do this to make up for times when she feels likes she's taken advantage of our friendships. Anyways, she says we can use the Tipton resort on Maui, and she will take care of transportation for everyone on our guest lists."

Carey's eyes went wide. "Hawaii? Oh wow! That sounds amazing!" She laughed. "Finally! Another vacation for me!

Cody laughed too. "Well, yeah, but it also means we have a big job for you to do by the time we get back for the summer. We need a list of names and addresses of family members on your side of the family that you want to invite."

"Consider it done!"

And that fortunately made Carey completely forget about them being dressed up. Of course, all she could talk about until she left for her rehearsal was Hawaii and everything they needed to do once they got back to Boston. And when she had to finally leave to head down for her microphone check, Cody and Bailey were finally able to head inside their suite and change clothes. That left them the rest of the afternoon to do whatever they wanted, and Cody did light up when Bailey suggested they head to the Boston Museum of Science and check out the new planetarium show on the moons of Jupiter. So, that's what they did. And while they were out, they even stopped at Cody's favorite restaurant for dinner before heading back to the hotel. After dinner and after getting off at their subway stop, they walked back to the hotel slowly enjoying the relatively warm weather that evening.

"Thanks for this afternoon, Sweetie. I feel a lot better than I did earlier today..."

Bailey smiled at him. "Well, you should. I don't want you to let what happened get you down. You didn't do anything wrong today or back then. You shouldn't be punished for simply helping out Zack on of his crazy schemes..."

Cody laughed. "Won't be the first time I have been, and unfortunately, it probably won't be the last."

"I know, but we have other just as good options across the country. I'm sure we'll find the right school for us out there."

"I know we will." He took her hand. "How does heading up to the suite and watching a movie sound?"

"Sounds good to me. But I heard there is this special on the History Channel tonight about the lost continent of Atlantis. How about we watch that instead?"

He grinned. "What are we waiting on?"

Once back in the hotel, they headed for the elevators. And when the doors opened, they were about to get on when they saw Zack and Maya getting off.

"Hey! There you two are! I thought you two would be home when we got back, but the suite was empty. To be honest, we thought you would have dinner cooked for us, but you didn't. So, we're heading out to grab something..."

Cody smiled. "Nah, we've had kind of long and weird day. We went out to eat earlier ourselves..."

Maya paused. "Long and weird? Did everything go okay with your interviews?"

"You don't want to know..."

Bailey sighed. "Mine went alright, but they totally ambushed Cody..." She explained to them what happened earlier. "So, looks like we were wrong about Harvard still not holding a grudge..."

Cody nodded. "Like I told Bailey - it is what it is. I'm just looking forward to moving on from this and trying to forget Harvard even exists from now on..."

Zack could only nod. "Bro, that sucks. I'm sorry again for what happened way back then. If I knew it would have a backlash like this..."

"You couldn't have foreseen this. Don't worry about it, Zack. We'll just keep looking for a medical school then." He smiled and winked at Bailey. "Who knows? Maybe we'll end up really liking Palo Alto, California?"

She smiled back at him. "Maybe we will. Plus, after everything else we've been through, a potential earthquake would be nothing..."

He laughed. "True. Anyways, we're heading upstairs. You two have fun tonight."

And with that, Cody and Bailey got on the elevator and headed upstairs. That left Zack and Maya in the lobby, and they both just turned and looked at each other.

Zack shrugged. "Oh well, looks like everything I did this morning was for nothing..."

Maya could only nod. "I guess so. That really sucks though. But, we'll know if they ask you to come in for an interview what to expect..."

He laughed. "Yeah, that would be fun. Maybe Cody has it right? Lets just pretend Harvard doesn't even exist. Its not like I had high hopes or really wanted to go there anyways..."

"Works for me. If they're stupid enough to let something so stupid cause them to lose out on three top notch people, they deserve to be ignored..."

_New Haven_

After a night of trying to forget their disaster of a day, Cody and Bailey spent the rest of their second week of spring break getting as much done on their final papers for both of their seminar classes as the could. By the time Saturday rolled around, both were about half way done with their first drafts and felt really good about their progress. And both were feeling like their old selves after getting back to doing what they did best. In fact, by that Saturday, they had both cooled down enough about their experience at Harvard to be able to jokingly refer to the events on Monday as the 'Carnage at Cambridge'. Of course, that afternoon, they had something else to focus on - heading back to school. After doing their laundry that morning, Cody and Bailey packed up their things and began the drive back to New Haven to finish their last five weeks of classes. And when they got there, they unpacked their things and decided to do nothing the rest of the night except relax and take it easy.

About six o'clock that evening, Gertie and Tapeworm finally returned back to the dorm as well. And after they unpacked, all four of them were just hanging out together in Cody and Tapeworm's room.

"So, how did it go in Cambridge on Monday?"

Cody shook his head. "Don't ask. It was complete disaster..."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

Cody proceeded to go through with them his interview step by step, and both Tapeworm and Gertie were appalled at what happened as well.

"Dude, that sucks!"

"Yeah, well, that seems to be the consensus. We've decided to forget Harvard even exists except when we root extra hard for Yale when they play them this fall."

Tapeworm nodded. "Probably a good idea. Well, I don't want to influence your decision right now, but I'm sure Yale would love to hear how Harvard treated you and take advantage of it..."

Bailey laughed. "You know, you might be right about that. But, we've decided not to think about medical school until after we finish the semester. Our classes will have our complete focus for the next five weeks." She paused. "Then, we'll focus on medical school and our wedding this summer..."

Gertie grinned. "Maybe by the end of the summer, you'll know the location for them both?"

Bailey's eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh! I almost forgot! We do know where our wedding will be now. Thanks to London, its going to be in Hawaii!"

"Hawaii?"

Bailey grinned and quickly filled them in on London's surprise visit and even showed them the pictures.

"Wow! That looks amazing!"

"I know, right? So, you two better get ready for another exciting trip next year..."

Tapeworm laughed. "Oh, I think we can handle that..." He paused. "But thinking more of the present, I know of something we all might want to take care of right now. Before we go grab some dinner, it might be a good time to go find Master Chun. Might as well get our living situation for next year set before we forget about it."

Everyone nodded that it was a good idea, and they all headed downstairs to look for their college master. And fortunately, they found him walking towards his office. So, all four of them ran after him, calling out his name.

"Master Chun! Do you have a minute for us to talk to you?"

Once he saw who was calling his name, he smiled. "Of course." He paused and leaned in close to them and whispered. "Is this in regards to what I think its in regards to?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Excellent. Please come into my office with me then."

Once everyone was inside his office with the door locked, he pulled a folder out of his desk. Opening it up, he pulled out what looked like floor plan designs.

"This is what the third, fourth and fifth floors will look like come September. Take a look at this and let me know what you guys want."

The four of them did and studied the floor plans meticulously. After discussing it amongst themselves, they turned back to Master Chen. Tapeworm was the one who spoke up for the group.

"I think we want 511 and 512."

Master Chun nodded and smiled. "I kind of figured you would. Not only are they the two largest doubles we'll have, but both are end suites across the hall from each other. Of course, that means both will have an extra window that looks out over the Cross Campus Courtyard." He paused and laughed. "So, who am I putting down for each one?"

Gertie smiled. "You can put Dennis and I down for 511..."

He smiled. "Very well. Jensen and Wiznewsky are marked down for 511." He turned to Cody and Bailey. "I assume that means Pickett and Martin will be in 512?"

Bailey smiled. "Sure does. And we all promise you that our living arrangements next year will not affect our grades in the least."

Master Chun nodded. "I'm sure they won't." He turned and entered all four of their names into his computer spreadsheet. "Done and done. But if you four would do me a favor, don't mention this to anyone else around here..."

Cody laughed. "We know. Housing Lottery day can get pretty...chaotic."

"Exactly! It can really bring out the worst in people. Last year, we had hair pulling, black eyes, and teeth getting knocked out. If it wasn't such a big tradition, I would advocate a new system..."

Bailey laughed at that. "Well, we'll be happy to avoid it like the plague this year. But, I was wondering. Is there anyway we can get a copy of the floor plans for our two rooms? It would help us when we plan how to decorate them over the summer."

Master Chun paused. "Yeah, but would you mind waiting until after the housing lottery and its aftermath has died down some? If I did beforehand, it could end up causing some problems around here..."

"We completely understand."

After some more small talk about their spring breaks and classes, the four of them left his office and headed over towards the dining room. And as they walked, Bailey turned to Cody.

"Sweetie, I think I have an idea for how we should arrange our room next year..."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded. "I do, but I'll need to see the floor plan again to see if there is enough room to pull it off. Here's what I'm thinking though..."

_Boston_

The next several weeks flew by with everyone finishing up their spring semesters. For Zack and Maya, their upcoming finals would be both a good thing and a bad thing. While they would be happy to finish off their semesters, the timing of their exams couldn't have been any worse. And one night as they were studying in Zack's suite, it was really starting to get to him

He just shook his head. "This royally sucks!"

Maya nodded. "I know, but we should have seen this coming. I mean...we did officially get back together last year a couple of days before finals. It shouldn't be a surprise that our first anniversary would fall in the middle of them this year."

He sighed. "I know, but I would prefer to spend our anniversary going out and doing something fun. Not holed up in the suite studying for our next final."

She smiled. "I feel the exact same way, but we didn't have our first real date last year until after finals were over. We'll just have to do the same thing this year. Besides, think about it. Once your finals are over, you'll be a senior in college."

"True. And you'll be a junior in college..."

"Hey! I'll be a junior who will only be four classes shy of having just enough credits to be considered a senior next semester. That's the only perk of taking summer school every year!"

"Speaking of which, are you still on pace to finish in five and a half years?"

Maya nodded. "I think so...mainly it will depend on if I can get the classes I need to be offered when I need them to be. Fortunately, my adviser doesn't seem to think it will be a problem though."

"That's good..."

"What about you? Will everything you need to graduate be offered next year?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah, it looks like I'll only need fourteen hours a semester." He sighed. "Which means I'll lose my bet with Cody..."

She just gave him a funny look. "What bet?"

"Oh, I was giving him a hard time because he and Bailey would have easy final semesters. He bet me I would have less than a fifteen hours a semester too. Looks like he was right..."

Maya laughed. "Okay, what were the terms of the bet?"

Zack shrugged. "I owe him a dollar now...the typical amount of one of our bets."

She gave him a look. "A dollar? One whole dollar? That's it?"

"Well, you have to remember...when we started making bets like that, a dollar was a lot of money..."

She just shook her head and laughed at the absurdity of it. "I hope he doesn't spend it all in one place. Anyways, we should get back to studying. We have a lot to get done in the next two weeks." She sighed. "Namely, I found out this morning that I now need to find a place to live this summer. Looks like Cody and Bailey's dorm isn't the only one undergoing renovations over the summer."

"That sucks. Any idea of what are you going to do?"

Maya shrugged. "I don't know yet...Hopefully I'll find some place near school that's furnished and will give me a four month lease..."

Zack paused as an idea came to him. And before he could stop himself to give him time to think about it, he just blurted it out. "Why would you that? Why not just move in with me over the summer?"

Maya just looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious?"

Zack stopped to think before shrugging. "Sure. Why not?" He smiled. "I mean, it makes sense. You won't have to pay any rent, so that would save some money. Plus, this place is more secure and have more amenities than any other place you'll find. Plus, its already furnished, so you wouldn't have to worry about that either. Besides, its not like you haven't stayed here before. And, I don't think any of our parents would object..."

She nodded. "That's true...but do you think Cody and Bailey would mind?"

He laughed. "Hey, I've put up with Bailey living with Cody over the past couple of summers. So, they have no grounds to complain about you living with me. What do you say?"

Maya paused before smiling. "I say you've got yourself another roommate then for a few months..."

_New Haven_

Finally, the last week of school arrived on Yale's campus too. And for Cody and Bailey, that meant they had to turn in their final projects or papers in their seminars and human genome classes. Fortunately, they had finished them all the week before. And in their human genome class, they actually got to do their final project as a group project in a group consisting of just the two of them. On that last Friday of classes, their seminar professor kept true to his word and canceled class that day with the only stipulation being everyone turn in their final papers to him in his office by five o'clock that afternoon. But Cody and Bailey didn't want to cut things close, so, that morning, they reviewed everything one last time before they turned their papers in before lunch. And at lunch, both just relaxed as the main part of their semester was now officially over.

"Nine more days, and we'll be all done with our junior years."

Cody smiled. "And we'll officially be seniors."

"I know. Sweetie, I can't wait for our senior years!"

He teased her. "Because we'll be living together or because our schedules will be ridiculously easy?"

Bailey laughed. "Both. But as for the latter, I've been doing some thinking about our schedules next year..."

"Oh yeah? What about?"

"Well, we have all of our university requirements done, and we only need a total of four classes to finish both of our degree requirements. But to remain full time students, we need to have at least twelve hours both semesters..."

Cody nodded. "The same thought had crossed my mind. We'll have two classes each semester to do whatever we want with."

"Precisely. And as far as I can see, we have two options. We can take classes that interest us or take the easiest GUT classes we can find so that we have more time to spend on our real classes."

"What do you think we should do then, Bails?"

Bailey grinned. "Call me greedy, but I think we can have the best of both worlds, Sweetie. There is a list going around describing which classes are the easiest ones on campus. Well, relatively speaking. I don't think any class here at Yale would be ones you can sleep through. Anyways, I say we get our hands on a copy of that list and see if there are any on there that we find interesting. See? Best of both worlds!"

Cody just smiled. "Sounds good to me. And if we can find ones over in Harkness or even down in Bass, we'll see Tapeworm have another meltdown next semester..."

She laughed. "Exactly!"

"Until then, we have work to do, Bails. I say after lunch, we go talk to the professors we want to preside over our senior projects. Might as well get a jump on that so we can secure professors we want." He laughed. "I think by now, we know which ones we would prefer and which ones to avoid..."

"Good idea. And I think I know which ones should be our first stops..."

"I think I know which two you are talking about, and I agree."

At the same time, both spoke up. "Professor Cole and Professor Ryan!"

Bailey laughed again. "Exactly! You know, I'm really starting to think we can read each other's minds, and we don't even need some weird fruit to do it..."

Cody laughed too. "Hey, I welcome that. I much rather know what's going on in yours. I've seen what goes on in Zack's, and it was kind of scary..."

She just shook her head. "Yeah, you told me. Anyways, after our visits to them, I say we take the rest of the day off and have some fun. We can begin studying for our finals first thing in the morning. And once we're done with this semester, we can shift all of our focus to start planning our wedding and beginning our summer tour of medical schools." She paused. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I know we've told your Mom about Hawaii, but I haven't told my family yet because I wanted to do it in person. I figured we could do that when we visited them in a few weeks. I mean, that will also be our first interview at Kansas University."

"Works for me."

She paused again. "You sure you wouldn't mind being so far away from your family if we ended up in Kansas City?" **(AN: To my surprise, I learned the KU Medical School is not in Lawrence with the rest of the university, but rather, its in Kansas City,** **Kansas) **

He smiled at her. "I wouldn't be though. Bails, you're my family, and by the time we start medical school, your family will legally be my family as well. We'd just have to switch up things. You know, like Thanksgiving in Kettlecorn and Christmas in Boston."

She grabbed his hand and smiled back at him. "That's true..." She laughed. "But, I'd hate to see what would happen in Boston if we weren't there to cook for everyone. Besides, we still have no idea where we'll be heading this time next year. We could be getting ready to move just about anywhere..."

_The Offices of London Inns_

That same Friday afternoon, London once again stopped by Moseby's office to go over the reports that he and Zack had compiled from their trips to the Caribbean. And as London was reviewing them, she nodded.

"This is really good. I like Zack's idea of having everyone focus on something they knew a lot about." She paused, smiled and looked up. "Is it just me, or is he taking to his job like a duck to water?"

Moseby had to nod. "You're right. I admit that I was leery of working with him again at first, but he's done a tremendous job. The Zack that I always hoped would finally come to the surface finally did..." He paused and laughed. "Unfortunately, he's done too good of a job. I can't send him out to any more locations to pull undercover operations. I've heard rumors that a picture of him is now hanging in the office of every inn. They've learned who he is and know to be on top of their games if he happens to show up..."

London laughed too. "Guess we'll have to find someone else to do those now...either that or get him plastic surgery."

"Yeah, I don't think either he or Maya either one would go for that. I..." But before he could continue, his intercom came alive.

_"__Mr. Moseby, you have a phone call."_

He pushed the button on his intercom. "I'm in a meeting with Miss Tipton right now. Tell whoever it is that I'll call them back as soon as I can..."

_"__If you say so, but you told me that when the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration called to put them through to you immediately..."_

Moseby's eyes went wide. "Patch me through!"

He picked up the phone receiver and began talking to whoever it was on the other end. After a few minutes of talking and taking notes, he thanked the person on the other end and hung up.

London was confused. "What was that all about?"

"Well, you remember the idea you had for Zack's international experience requirement?"

She paused and her eyes went wide. "Oh yeah! Was that them calling back on whether to approve it or not?"

Moseby nodded and grinned. "Yeah, and turns out they will approve it with a few conditions."

London clapped her hands. "Yay me! My idea worked! When are you going to tell Zack?"

He paused. "After he finishes his finals. He might not be that happy to hear this news, and I don't want it to interfere with his studies..."

She nodded. "Good point. I don't think he or Maya either one will be happy with this. I mean, I know they've been back together a year, so I hope they are strong enough for this..." She shook her head. "To be honest, I didn't think they would ever get back together..."

Moseby smiled. "I did. You don't spend as much time around you kids and not get to know you all pretty well. That's how I know you and Todd are a great fit for each other, and its how I knew Cody and Bailey were a perfect match. Heck, I can even see the attraction between Woody and Addison. I had a feeling about Zack and Maya too. When I saw Zack Martin willingly chasing after one girl and then become a one woman kind of guy for her, I knew something was different. I thought he might have found his match..." He laughed. "Besides...who do you think kept constantly sending Maya all of those anonymous updates about what was going on with Zack while she was in Africa?"

__To be Continued...__


	25. Curveballs

_Episode 25_

_"Curveballs"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

Finally, it was the last week of classes at Yale. That Friday afternoon at five o'clock would signal the end of the semester and also be the beginning of the short reading week before final exams would begin. From then until the following Thursday morning at nine AM, reading week would be in full effect, and Cody and Bailey spent the vast majority of that time holed up in their secret room in the bowels of Sterling Memorial Library. However, this semester, a couple of freshman decided that their room would be perfect for them too. But when they walk in to it on Saturday morning, Cody and Bailey just looked up and stared at them.

"This room is occupied."

"Ummm...Sorry, we didn't know anyone else was in here..."

Cody just kept glaring at them. "Well, we are. We've used this room to study in for the past three years, and we plan on doing the same next year as well. So, you can move on and find your own place to study..."

The freshmen just started walking backwards and closed the door behind them. And once they left, Bailey couldn't help herself but to laugh.

"Please tell me we were never like that as freshmen..."

Cody smiled at her. "I don't think so. But, this is our private spot, and I'm not going to give it up without a fight."

"I know. We have a routine, and I pity anyone who tries to disrupt it." She smiled too. "Of course, we failed to tell them that the library staff gave us a key to this room to use whenever we want. So, they'll be in for a surprise if they think they can get here before us tomorrow..."

He could only nod. "I know. Its like we already have our own room here on campus even before we get our deluxe suite next fall." He paused. "But it does bring up the fact that we are both very comfortable here at Yale. Maybe Tapeworm was right? Maybe we should focus on trying to stay here in New Haven. I mean, I know the school that no longer exists has the best medical school in the country, but Yale's is no slouch..."

She nodded. "True. Its a top five school in its own right, and we already know our way around campus and town. Plus, we would have Gertie and Tapeworm here with us for a few years..."

"And our interviews with Yale's Medical School last week did go very well. Both our interviewers seemed very enthusiastic about us being there and getting accepted."

"Yeah, that was a nice change of pace. But..."

"But what?"

Bailey shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, we've only seen two medical schools up close and personal so far. I say we keep looking and see what else is out there for us. No need for us to decide anything without knowing all of the facts."

Cody nodded. "That's a good idea." He smiled. "But until then, lets get back to studying. I know we only have two finals, but we do want to keep our 4.0s..."

Once the morning of Thursday, May 1st arrived, everything else was forgotten forgotten as it was time for them to begin taking their finals. Fortunately for Cody and Bailey, their final exam schedule that semester wasn't that bad as their two finals were spaced out pretty well. First up was their Biology of Reproduction final, and it would be on that Thursday at 9:00 AM. Once they finished it, the only thing separating them from being seniors was their Bioethics and Law test on Sunday at 2:00 PM. That was all they had left as their work in their other three classes was already completed when they turned in their final papers and projects.

On Saturday and Sunday of reading week, they studied for Bioethics and Law and returned to it following their first exam. Monday through Wednesday were spent studying for Biology of Reproduction. And on Sunday afternoon, when they walked out of their last final, they were both exhausted, but both felt good about how they had done and thought there 4.0s should be safe. And once they were done for the semester, they could spend the rest of Sunday packing their things and getting ready to head back to Boston the next morning.

Fortunately, they weren't the only ones who had finished their semester on that Sunday afternoon. Tapeworm was done then too, so that would make them moving out all the more easier The weekend before, Tapeworm had once again traded vehicles with his Dad and had his truck on campus. So, while Gertie continued to study for her last final on Tuesday morning, the other three spent Sunday evening loading up all of their heavy furniture into the bed of the truck and transported it over to the same storage facility they had used the previous summer.

That night, Gertie took a break from studying to join them for a farewell dinner as it would be the last time they would all be in the same location until the next August.

"So, you two are out of here in the morning, huh?"

Bailey nodded. "After breakfast, we'll load up and get on the road. What about you two?"

Tapeworm spoke up. "I'm hanging around until Gigi's last final is over, and we're heading up to Amherst for a few days before she flies back to Maryland."

Cody laughed. "So, what are you going to do for the next couple of days with no television and nothing else to do? Because right now, our room is completely barren..."

Tapeworm paused as that dawned on him. "You know...I hadn't thought of that yet. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll guess I'll probably hang out down in the basement and watch the big screen down there or play some of the arcade games down there. I would assume it would be pretty empty. I mean, most people still here would probably be studying..."

Gertie just shook her head. "I have a better idea. You can watch the TV up in my room if I can use yours to study in."

He grinned. "Works for me." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Gigi..."

She turned back to Cody and Bailey. "What about you two? What are your plans when you get back to Boston?"

"Well, this week, we have interviews at Tufts on Tuesday, Boston University on Wednesday and UMASS on Thursday. Then, that afternoon, we hop a plane to Kansas City for our interview at KU on Friday afternoon. The week after, we begin work again. And over the course of the summer, we have interviews scheduled at Penn (Philadelphia), Johns Hopkins (Baltimore), Columbia (New York City), Washington University in St. Louis, Brown, Duke, and Cornell." Bailey sighed. "And we're still trying to work out times to visit Michigan and Stanford..."

Tapeworm laughed. "Ummm...I know you guys can drive to the ones here on the eastern seaboard, but the last time I checked, the states of Missouri and North Carolina aren't anywhere near New England..."

Cody could only nod. "We know, but we've worked all that out. Usually, when we head to Kettlecorn, our connecting flights are through Atlanta. Well, not this summer. We scheduled our interviews at those schools we have to fly to around our visits to see Bailey's family. Next weekend is Mother's Day, so we're flying into Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City, Kansas, where KU is, lies just across the state line, and then we'll rent a car and drive to Kettlecorn from there. When we go for Father's Day, our layover city will be Raleigh, North Carolina which is near Durham. We're going to have a day in between our flights so we can knock out our interviews at Duke..." Cody chuckled. "And as if you couldn't guess by now, when we head back for Bailey's birthday, our layover will be in St. Louis, Missouri."

Tapeworm looked back and forth at them in awe. "And here I thought you guys went on a North American tour over Christmas. That sounds insane!"

Bailey laughed this time. "Oh, it will probably get worse. Thank goodness we had so many frequent flier miles built up. And like I said, we're still trying to work it out so that our layover on a flight out to San Francisco to visit Stanford has a layover in Detroit so we can drive over to Ann Arbor and knock out the last two on one trip..."

Gertie shuddered. "After hearing that, I'm glad we're staying here at Yale for grad school."

"Oh, we're still strongly considering Yale too. Its one of two interviews we've already had...and the only one we are acknowledging its existence..."

Tapeworm shook his head. "I think I need a nap after just hearing all of that..."

Cody laughed again. "How do you think we feel? We're the ones who are going to have to actually do it. By the time this summer is over, we're going to really be looking forward to coming back to school just to get some rest."

Bailey nodded. "The one thought that will keep us going will be the deluxe suites we have to come back to."

Gertie smiled. "Tell me about it. I've already told Howie that we should hold on to that suite for as long as they will let us have it."

"Well, if we stay here at Yale, we'll probably try to do the same thing..." Bailey paused and shook her head. "You know...it doesn't feel like it was that long ago that we all finally moved into Berkeley here, but its been two years. And now we only have a year left before we're all supposed to graduate."

"Tell me about it. College has flown by. It feels like it was just yesterday that I returned from Christmas break to find that the pipes in my dorm room had burst. I was actually dreading having a total stranger for a roommate and totally new surroundings." Gertie stopped and began laughing. "But thanks to some shoddy plumbing, I have two wonderful friends and a guy I can't imagine my life without..."

Bailey smiled. "You never know how one moment will forever affect your future. When I left to head for the ship, I had no clue how much that one decision was going to change the rest of my life. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had chickened out..."

Cody shook his head and laughed. "I've got you all beat! If my Mom had never accepted the job at the Boston Tipton, I never would have moved there and met my boy here. And if she had never worked for Tipton, she never would have gotten the employee discount which lead her to being able to send both Zack and I to the boat. Obviously, I wouldn't have met Bailey then..." He paused and smiled. "...and I mean then because I just know I would have at some point. But, if I never went to the boat, Zack might not have gotten me blackballed from the school we shall not mention, and I might be a student there right now. And if I was, I never would have met everyone I did here at Yale. So looking back, I'm thankful Mom took the chance because I can't imagine my life if she hadn't..."

Bailey leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'm thankful she did too. Remind me to thank her for that when we get back tomorrow morning..."

Gertie checked her watch and sighed. "Unfortunately, as much fun as I'm having right now, I need to get back to my books. My last exam is not going to be any fun at all."

And while she headed back to studying, everyone else returned back to their rooms to finish packing their things. By the time they went to bed that night, Cody and Bailey were all set to leave the next morning. And after a final breakfast with Tapeworm, they loaded up their car and hit the road.

"Next stop, Boston." Cody shook his head and laughed. "Thankfully this car is comfortable. Because, Bails, I have a feeling we're going to be sick of looking at it by the end of the summer..."

_Boston_

That same morning while Cody and Bailey were saying their last goodbyes and hitting the road to head back to Boston, Zack was still in his bed snoring away. He had gotten out of last final close to eleven o'clock the night before, and he was so exhausted afterwards, he crashed as soon as he got home. And Zack would have continued to have slept the morning away except he was woken out of his slumber by a loud knock at the suite's front door. Grumbling, he rolled out of bed to go find out who it was, and he vowed that whoever it was had better have a good reason for waking him up so early on his day off. But when he opened the door though, he was surprised to see Moseby standing there.

"Moseby? What are you doing here? I'm pretty sure you gave me today off to recuperate from my last final..."

Moseby smiled and nodded. "You're right, I did. But now that you are done with finals, there is something you and I need to talk about..."

Zack just shrugged and opened the door wider so Moseby could walk inside the suite.

"So, what's going on? Is there a problem at work?"

Moseby shook his head. "No, this has nothing to do with London Inns. Actually, my visit this morning has to do with your education."

Zack was confused. "My education? But I just finished finals, and I won't hear anything back from grad schools until next fall probably, this summer at the earliest..."

"I know, this has nothing to do with those either..." Moseby paused. "Zack, do you remember when you came to me several months ago with your concern over the international experience class you are supposed to take?"

"Well, yeah, but..." Zack's eyes went wide as realization dawned on him. "Oh no! I had completely forgotten about that! I guess I had checked that off in my mind as already having been taken care of..." He began to pace back and forth as he was beginning to panic. "When am I going to be able to get that in?"

Moseby just kept his calm and smiled. "Don't worry - its already taken care of. You'll be doing it this summer."

After wiping the sweat from his brow, Zack sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness...I..." He stopped in mid sentence and turned to look at Moseby. "Wait a minute! How will I be doing that exactly? I know I'm not a geography major, but I'm pretty sure that international means outside of this country!"

Moseby couldn't help but to laugh. "Yes, it does. Zack, for thirteen weeks this summer, you will be serving as an assistant to Esteban on the high sees. You will be there for the launch of the S.S. Tipton II, and then be an employee on it for the majority of the summer. And during that time, you will also act as a liaison between the Esteban and myself back here in Boston. Further, you will have the responsibility of being a go to guy for the passengers of London Inns on the boat. You will secure reservations and coordinate activities for them with the ship's regular concierge service and activities director. Essentially, while Esteban while be your boss for the summer, you will be the highest ranking London Inns staff member on the ship..."

Zack looked at him in amazement. "Whoa! So, you're telling me I'm going to be spending the summer hanging out and working on a cruise ship and getting the school credit I need for that class?"

"Pretty much..."

Zack did a fist pump before He paused as something else crossed his mind. "I won't have to work the Smoothie Bar, will I?"

Moseby laughed again. "Not unless you get the urge to. But you won't be gone for the entire thirteen weeks. You will get to come home for a long 4th of July holiday weekend..."

Zack just shook his head and laughed. "Man, this is going to be so awesome!"

"I have to admit. I'm a little envious of you. I wouldn't mind unpacking my old knee socks for a little while myself."

"Moseby, if I may talk for the rest of the world, we're glad that you aren't..."

Marion glared at him. "Easy. Remember, I still run the business aspect of London Inns. While Esteban while be your boss on board the ship, you still have to answer to me. I'll still be your boss too."

Zack just grinned. "Whatever you say, Boss Man..."

"Now, I don't want you to be viewing this as a pure vacation. Beyond your other duties, the School of Hospitality Administration will have a few things they want you to do as well. For one, they want you to keep a journal of your time on board the ship especially as it relates to foreign experiences."

Zack shrugged. "That's cool. I can just pull a Doogie Howser every night before I go to bed..."

"That sound like a good idea. Next..." Moseby was about to continue when he stopped and frowned. "Wait a minute! How do you know about Doogie Howser? That was well before your time..."

"Easy. Barney Stinson is my favorite character on TV, and I've loved NPH's cameos in the Harold and Kumar movies. So, I checked youtube to see what else he had been in, and I found it there. I've been watched episodes there on-line at..." Zack paused and caught himself. "...home on Fridays while I've waited for Maya to get off work. Anyways, did you know you can find old episodes of a lot of old shows there? I mean...I was blown away to see that Tom Hanks used to be in a show where he dressed up as a woman..."

Marion sighed. "Yes, Bosom Buddies. I remember when it aired on TV as a brand new series..." He shook his head. "Anyways, they also want you to do a project on all of the different cuisines you will be exposed to. So, when in port, go out and try the local flavors. Don't stay on board and just hit up the buffets..."

"Consider it done. If you get me a list of places the ship will be going, I'll have Cody make me a list of things to make sure to try."

"Another good idea." Moseby smiled. "I bet he and Bailey will enjoy having this place to themselves for almost three months..."

"I'm sure they probably will. It'll give them a head start on when they'll be living together next year at Yale..." Zack paused as his face went white. "Wait a minute! I'm going to be gone for almost the entire summer!"

"Yeah, that's what I just told you..."

Zack just shook his head as he began pacing again. "You don't understand! They won't have the place to themselves. Maya's dorm is being renovated this summer, and I told her she could move in here. What do I tell her now?"

Moseby didn't have any answers to that, so he left Zack alone so he could think about that. But Moseby did say he would have leave more information for Zack to look over when he had the time. But that was the farthest thing from Zack's mind. A couple of hours later, he was still sitting on the couch racking his brain trying to figure out what he was going to do. He knew to graduate the following year, he was going to have to go on the boat so he could knock out a required course. So not going wasn't an option for him. And once he realized that, He began worrying about how Maya was going to take this sudden news. Would she be upset by it? Would she understand? And what was he going to do about him saying she could live there over the summer when he wouldn't be around? Would she still want to? And even if she did, would she be comfortable living there with Cody and Bailey without him there? Would they be comfortable living there with her without him around too? So, he continued to just sit there and think. And as he sat there, the door to the suite swung open again, and Cody and Bailey pushed a full luggage cart full of their things into the suite.

"We're back!"

But Zack just kept sitting on the couch thinking. He saw that they were back, but he was still so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even bother acknowledging their arrival.

Cody and Bailey just looked at each other and shrugged. "Okay...well nice to see you again too, Bro..."

Zack sighed. "Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

Cody frowned. "I thought your last final was last night. Actually, I kind of figured you'd still be asleep right now..."

"Oh, I was planning on that. But Moseby stopped by earlier this morning with news that's completely rocked my world..."

Cody turned to Bailey. "It took him almost three years before he finally fired him. That's a lot longer than I originally thought..."

Bailey rolled her eyes but it was obvious she was trying not to laugh. And once she thought she had been successful at suppressing her laughter, she turned to Zack. "So what did Moseby have to say exactly that's rocked your world?"

Zack sighed again and explained to them everything that Moseby had told him earlier. Cody just shrugged again.

"So? What's the problem? You're going to spend the summer on the new ship. As long as you don't have to be a towel boy, I can't see the downside. I mean, you're getting the college credit you need while while getting to see the world in the lap of luxury. Most people who had that opportunity would be out in the hallway doing cartwheels."

Zack shook his head. "You don't understand. Ordinarily, it wouldn't be that big of a problem." He paused. "But I did something to cause it to be a big problem. Maya's dorm is being renovated this summer like yours is, and I told her she could move in here over the summer."

Bailey was confused. "Okay, so you won't be here. She can still stay in your room. We promise we won't throw any loud parties or be pains in the butt if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm worried about how I'm going to break this news to her and how she's going to take it. She's supposed to finish her last final at 1:30 this afternoon, and I'm supposed to pick her up to take her out to lunch to celebrate. I'm not sure how much of a mood either one of us is going to be in to do that after I drop this bomb on her."

"Zack, you're going to be on the boat for three months - not going to prison for 15-20 years..."

He shook his head again. "You guys don't understand! How would you feel if you two were split apart for three months?"

Cody and Bailey looked at each other and neither one of them liked the that thought at all. "Well, I'll admit I wouldn't be enthused about it. But if I knew it was because Bailey was taking a class she needed to graduate, I know I'd be as supportive of it as I could be. Besides, they do say absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Bailey nodded. "Cody's right. While neither one of us would like it, we would know that in the grand scheme of things, three months would just be a small bump in the road."

Zack just looked up at the two of them. "Because you guys have been together for basically six years and are engaged to be married. Other than your mutual bouts of stupidity, you two haven't been apart in all that time. Maya and I were only together for seven months, then apart for a year and now back together a year. We aren't as...established as you two are."

Cody shrugged again. "I think you're making a bigger deal out of this than you need to be. Besides, you're forgetting the summers of high school when I was here in Boston and Bailey was back in Kettlecorn. We survived those. You and Maya will too."

Zack sighed yet again. "Maybe, but am I the only one who has noticed this is eerily similar to what happened when Maya was offered the chance to go to the Peace Corp?"

Bailey laughed. "I think you are. I don't see many similarities at all. For one, this is something you have to do rather than something she chose to do."

Cody continued. "Two, three months is a lot shorter amount of time than two years."

"Three, the ship is wired for wifi, and you'll have cell phone reception. You two will be able to call each other everyday or talk over webcams. In Africa, not so much..."

"Finally, a relationship can handle that amount of time if its what you both want. Besides, didn't you tell us that you'd be back after six weeks for a long weekend? With that, it will only be two stretches of six weeks without physically seeing each other. Zack, I know you can handle that."

Zack looked up at them both with hope in his eyes. "You really think so?"

They both nodded. "We know so."

He sat back and thought. "Maybe you're right. Would you two do me a favor then?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Well, you two don't mind if she still lives here, right?"

Both shook their heads. "We don't mind at all."

"Good. As for the favor I need, I want you two to keep an eye on her for me."

Cody shook his head. "Uh uh. Sorry, Bro. We won't be spies for you!"

Zack rolled his eyes. "No, nothing like that! I mean it would be nice if you two would include her in what you guys are doing every so often. Take her to a movie with you. Take her to a baseball game with you. Let her help with wedding plans. Just do me a favor and make sure she doesn't feel abandoned while I'm gone."

Bailey nodded. "Oh, well we can do that."

"Thank you." He checked the clock on the stove. "I guess I need to get cleaned up then. Now I only have to do the hard part in all of this...actually tell her."

While he headed off to the bathroom, Cody and Bailey began unloading their things from the luggage cart. But before they got to actually unpacking everything, they decided to head out and grab some lunch. And after they ate, they decided to enjoy the only free time they were going to have for the foreseeable future. So, they went for a walk in the park before stopping by the market to get a few things for dinner that evening. Several hours after they left, they finally returned back to the suite. And as far as they could tell, Zack seemed to be gone. While Bailey was setting her paper grocery bags down on the kitchen counter, she happened to notice a pile of mail lying on it.

"Looks like he already got the mail before he left..." She began flipping through them to see if there was anything there for them when she noticed a couple of letters addressed to them. "Ummm...Cody?"

Cody was busy unpacking some items from his bags into the refrigerator. "Yeah, Sweetie?"

She swallowed. "There are two envelopes here with our names on them – from Harvard Medical School."

_The Other Side of Town_

A little before 1:30 that afternoon, Zack was pulled up his car and parked outside of the building where Maya's last final was being held. And about twenty minutes later, she came out the front door, and when she saw his car parked there, she ran over to it before jumping into the passenger's seat. Fortunately, as Zack drove them to a restaurant, Maya seemed to be on a high from her test and carried their conversation all the way there. But by the time they got to the restaurant, she had finally noticed that Zack was being a lot quieter than normal.

"Alright, Babe...what's up?"

Zack was a little surprised. "What do you mean?"

She smiled. "I know you, Zack. You've got something on your mind. You tend to get a little withdrawn and quiet when you do..."

He sighed. "Well, actually, you're right. I do have something on my mind. You see...Moseby stopped by to see me this morning. Seems like I'm not free from the shackles of summer school after all..."

Maya couldn't help but to laugh. "That's what you get! All those times you teased me have finally come back to bite you in the butt! So, what kind of class are you going to have to take? Will it be a difficult one?"

Zack paused as he realized he shouldn't beat around the bush. He figure it would be like a band-aid - rip it off quickly and the pain wouldn't last as long. "Well, sort of. I'll be taking a class, but none of the work will be done inside of a classroom..."

She frowned. "Outside of a classroom? I thought you finished your last field experience class this semester..."

"So did I, but there is one more I have to do that I had completely forgotten about..."

She just looked at him funny when she suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute! Is this the one where you need foreign experience?"

Zack just nodded. "Yeah..." He swallowed and then spit it out as fast as he could. "And to complete it, it turns out I'll be spending thirteen weeks this summer working for Esteban...on the S.S. Tipton II..." Once he got it all out, he just looked at Maya waiting to see what her reaction would be.

But her reaction completely blew him away - Maya was smiling at him. "Sounds like fun, Babe. A lot more fun than me sitting through two physics classes..."

He blinked as he was caught completely off guard. "Wait a minute! You're not upset about this?"

"Why would I be? You're doing what you have to do so you can graduate. Yeah, it will suck that I won't actually get to be with you for about three months, but I know you're coming back."

Zack just looked at her before shaking his head. "Okay, this is so not how I thought this conversation would go!"

She laughed. "And why is that?"

"Well, I...you..." He sighed. "I just thought it would be a much bigger issue..."

Maya smiled at him and she grabbed his hand. "I bet you kept thinking of the similarities between this and when I went to Africa, huh?"

"Well, yeah...that's exactly what I did..."

"Completely different situations, Babe."

Zack nodded. "Yeah, that's what Cody and Bailey told me. They got back from Yale not long after Moseby dropped the bomb on me. Oh, and even though I won't be there, they're completely cool with you still living there this summer."

"I'll have to thank them for that. And what they said is true. Zack, you said so yourself – we're both much different people than we were three years ago. I like to think we're both older and wiser now."

"So do I..."

She smiled. "You just better make sure your webcam is working and your cell phone battery is always charged though. I might be calling you several times a day."

He smiled back. "You better."

"Now, is there anything else or can we continue on to celebrate our first anniversary? As far as I can tell, I've only got you to myself for a few more weeks. I don't want to waste a single second of them..."

Zack could only laugh. "Anything you want to do, Maya. I'm just glad you're not upset with me over this..."

"Well, I might not like it, but I know its necessary. Besides, I remember us talking about how we would never try to interfere with each other doing their studies. I know this is a little bit different, but its essentially the same concept."

"Thanks for being so cool about this..."

"Anytime..." But as much as she was smiling and putting up a brave front on the outside, Maya was scared to death on the inside. And if she had been caught off guard by his announcement, she might not have been able to cover so well. In actuality, she had gotten out of her last final about a quarter after one that afternoon. But when she walked out of the classroom, Maya had been shocked to see Moseby standing there. Immediately, Moseby pulled her aside and gave her a quick breakdown of what was going to happen and then told her how much Zack was freaking out about it.

"I know you aren't going to like this, but he really needs to do this to graduate..."

She could only nod. "Yeah, I understand that..."

Moseby smiled back. "But you still don't like it, and I can understand that. But just remember its not for forever. He'll be back before you know it. Now, like I said, he's really worried about how you're going to handle this. I thought if I showed up and told you first myself, it might make things somewhat easier. Maya, I really need you to put on a brave face for Zack here. I need you to let him know everything will be okay - because I truly believe everything will be okay. So, can you do that for me? Can you do that for Zack?"

So, Maya just sat there at the table with Zack smiling and putting on a brave face while doing the best acting job she could. And she tried to convince herself that everything would indeed be okay like Moseby had said it would. Unfortunately, she wasn't having that much luck in doing that.

_Zack and Cody's Suite_

Almost on pure impulse, Bailey grabbed the envelope with her name on it and tore it open. And once it was, she pulled out the letter inside and began reading it. As she saw what it said, her eyes went wide. Bailey couldn't believe what she was actually reading and her mind began going in about a thousand different directions. But when Cody spoke up, she was forced to snap back to reality.

"What's it say?"

She looked up at him. "Huh? What's it say?" She paused and folded the letter back up. "Nothing. Don't worry about it..."

Cody just studied her face and shook his head. "I'm not buying that for a second. What's it really say?"

Bailey sighed. "I got an early acceptance to Harvard Medical School..." And as soon as she said that, she stuffed the letter back into the envelope and broke eye contact with Cody.

But he could tell there was more. "What else does it say? I get the feeling there's more to it..."

She slumped her shoulders and sighed again. "It says they want to offer me a full ride scholarship with a living stipend as well..."

Cody's eyes went wide. "Wow! Congratulations, Bails...that's amazing!" He smiled and began chuckling. "Looks like I need to focus on getting into BU or Tufts then. We already know what's in my envelope..."

Bailey shook her head. "No, you don't. Cody Bear, this doesn't change anything. Like I said, they could offer me all the tea in China, and I still wouldn't go there. I meant what I said."

"This changes everything! Boo Boo, not only did you get accepted into the best medical school in the country, but they want to pay you to go there! You can't turn that down!"

"Of course I can! After the way they treated you, Harvard can take their acceptance and money and shove it up their..."

Cody cut her off. "Bails, this is an amazing opportunity you can't pass up! You can't let what happened to me affect your decision..."

She just gave him a look. "Oh, yes I can! Cody, I've already told you. I not going anywhere without you going there with me. Like I also told you, we're a team, and this team will not be broken up by anyone or anything! Somethings in life are way more important! Besides, I've had you in almost all of my classes for the past seven years. I love having you there to study with me, and I'm not going to give that up even for Harvard!"

Cody sighed. "But Bails..."

"But nothing! We framed our two acceptance letters from Yale. We'll just take these letters from Harvard and burn them together and roast marshmallows over the flames. That's how serious I am about this..."

"Are you sure, Sweetie? I don't want you to ever regret this..."

Bailey smiled. "I won't. I promise." She picked up his letter. "Now, why don't you open yours and we'll get to burning?"

He smiled back at her. "You open it if you want to. I have no desire to see what's inside. I've had enough of opening letters from schools that tell me I'm not good enough to last me a lifetime..."

She just nodded, and ripped open his envelope too. But when she opened it, she noticed there was something different about it from the one she got. Instead of just the form letter from HMS, there was a handwritten letter on top of it. Quickly, she scanned it, and her eyes went even wider in surprise. "Cody...there is a letter in here from Dr. Hyden himself..."

Cody shook his head and sighed. "Great...He probably wanted to send me a personal note thanking me for wasting his time that day..."

Bailey shook her head and practically shoved the letter into Cody's face. "Read it!"

Reluctantly, he took it from her and began reading it.

_Dear Mr. Martin,_

_Allow me to apologize for the manner in which I conducted your interview on March 17___th___. I like to think of myself as an old school type of professor who believes that the practice of medicine should be reserved only for the best of the best. As such, I don't think the medical profession is for everyone who thinks they can hack it. So, I conduct my interviews in a different manner than that of my colleagues. Most of the time, medical schools like to weed out people who can't handle it during the first year, but I prefer to begin doing that in the interview process. You see, I view being a doctor as more than wearing a white coat and diagnosing patients. Its about having character and grace under fire. _

_I purposely put you in an hostile environment to see how you would handle yourself. And to say that you handled yourself well would be an understatement. You took everything I dished out and kept your composure even though I knew I had you rattled. I wanted to see if you would crumble under the pressure because pressure is something that the practice of medicine is full of. Situations can cause it all the time whether it be an uncooperative patient or having to do the right thing even though its not popular. A lot of candidates I interview crack under my interrogations, but you never did. And for that, you have my respect._

_And while I'm being truthful, I admit that when your name came up with a red flag, I insisted we interview you anyways and that I be the one assigned to interview you. I wanted to see what you were made of, and as far as I can see, I think you are made of the right stuff to be a fine physician._

_With that being said, I would like to welcome you to Harvard Medical School! You are the type of candidate we need more of around here. In fact, I've even nominated you to receive one of our scholarship packages, and the admissions committee has agreed with my recommendation. I hope you will overlook my unorthodox means and not personally hold them against HMS. Like I said before, I think we deserve the cream of the crop at HMS, and I include you in that group. I truly hope to see you here as a member of the incoming class of 2015._

_Sincerely,_

_Dr. Edward Hyden, M.D._

_P.S. I too had to have the father of a friend of mine pull strings to get me into Harvard when I was younger too. Unlike you, I probably didn't deserve it at the time. And as for former President Rosenberg, nobody liked him when I went to school with him. We all thought he was an arrogant horse's ass. You stood up to him which makes you A OK in my book!_

When he finished reading the letter, Cody looked up at Bailey with confusion written all over his face. "I...umm...huh?"

Bailey smiled at him. "You actually got in, Cody Bear!"

He shook his head. "But...but...but..."

Cody was in such a state of shock that he felt himself getting light headed. So, he stumbled over to the couch and fell back into it. Immediately, Bailey followed him and sat down next to him.

She grabbed his hand. "Cody, are you okay?"

He could only shake his head. "I think so, but I just have no idea what to think about this..."

Bailey nodded. "I can understand that. But this does bring up a big question for us - do we now accept Harvard and try overlook what they did to you? Or do you still want to tell them to shove it and keep looking for the right school for us?"

Cody just looked at her and shook his head. "Bails...I don't know...I just don't know..."

__The End of Season Three (To be Continued...in Season Four)__

_****_**AN: I will post the first episode of Season 4 sometime this weekend.**


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